DAILY DEVOTIONAL TODAY – February 20, 2025 || Our Daily Bread [Daily Devotion] | MamClaireTV

Devotional Message:
(Mark 7:8)
"You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions."

Message:
Have you ever seen someone clean their house so perfectly that everything looks spotless, but their heart is filled with worries, anger, or sadness? Or maybe you’ve known someone who always looks proper and polite in front of others but, behind closed doors, struggles with kindness and patience.

Sometimes, we focus so much on what people can see on the outside that we forget what truly matters on the inside. That is what Jesus was teaching in Mark 7:8. He saw people following many rules—washing their hands a certain way, cleaning their cups and plates perfectly, and doing all sorts of religious traditions. But their hearts were far from God.

These people thought that by keeping these traditions, they were pleasing God. But Jesus reminded them that they were missing what was truly needed. They were holding on to human traditions, but letting go of God’s commands—commands to love Him, to love others, to be kind, to forgive, to be humble, and to trust Him.

Let’s think about this in our daily lives. Sometimes, we can be like those people. We go to church every Sunday, sing songs, and say prayers. We might even read our Bible every day. These are all good things. But what if, after church, we go home and speak harshly to our family? What if we see someone in need but refuse to help? What if we hold grudges and refuse to forgive?

We can easily fall into the trap of doing religious things without letting God change our hearts.

God is not just looking at what we do on the outside. He is looking at our hearts. He wants us to obey Him not because we feel forced to follow rules, but because we love Him.

Think about a child who helps their mother clean the house. If the child does it because they fear being scolded, their heart is not in it. But if the child