modern judaism

Last night I listened to Luna and Ruben talk about modern Judaism. It was heartbreaking. Almost all I know about Judaism is in the Bible. Today, of course, it can't be what it was in the Bible. Back then it was centered around the temple and animal sacrifices. Now there is no temple, there hasn't been for....about two thousand years I think. My Jewish friends were talking about how far Judaism has fallen from what it used to be. Ruben especially was saying that it isn't about God anymore, it's about culture and being Jewish and keeping an identity.

Not that those things are bad, but to have a religion just for the sake of being religious is horrible. It's so empty and unfullfilling. I guess I'm getting all of this second hand though. I don't really know anything. I'm sure there are a lot of Jews who really follow Judaism because they love God. I hope so. I really love the Jewish people and as a Christian I feel indebted to them because they're the people to whom Jesus was sent. Their history was the one I grew up hearing about in Sunday School; I new it long before I knew American history.

God please touch Judaism. Bring it back to its ancient beauty of being focused on You. Your people have been so faithful to continue in their religious traditions for centuries without a temple or a nation to call their own. Please bless their faithfulness and bring them close to You. Show Yourself to them again in a powerful way. Thanks for Your promise to always be faithful to them.