Clueless?

Inside [the amphitheater in Ephesus], the people were all shouting, some one thing and some another. Everything was in confusion. In fact, most of them didn’t even know why they were there. The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander forward and told him to explain the situation. He motioned for silence and tried to speak. But when the crowd realized he was a Jew, they started shouting again and kept it up for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians! Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” [Acts 19.32-34]

I don't know if I will be able to convey here today what this passage speaks to my heart, but here goes...

Two things really stood out to me from this passage:

1. In fact, most of them didn’t even know why they were there
2. they started shouting again and kept it up for about two hours

This riotous crowd (most of whom did not even know why they were there) stayed there shouting, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" for about two hours?

Really? Two hours at an event they did not even know the purpose for?

But, why am I surprised? With much of the current turmoil going on in the USA, people participating in riots have been documented to be ignorant of what they are rioting about.

Worse yet, the thought came to me about all the people in weekly worship services (church services) who join in exuberant worship of God, whose lives the following week, show nothing of any change affected by such worship. In other words, people get all emotional at church but to no evident change in their lives. These people are no different than the people who went into the amphitheater in Ephesus clueless as to what was going on and yet endured two hours of praise of Artemis.

The take-away from this is the need for us, in church, to be sure we understand that God is all about changing us - and if we are unwilling to change, all the praise and worship in the world will be useless.

Father, help me to be yielded to You and changed - and not just a participant in a worship event!