“The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is His delight.” Proverbs 15:8
What is a sacrifice? Webster gives one definition as: the act of giving up something that you want to keep, especially in order to get or do something else, or to help someone. I can imagine that the people of biblical times wanted to keep their prize animals rather than slaughtering them on the altar and watching that good food burn up. But they also wanted God’s blessing, His forgiveness, and His approval. So they gave up their animals.
What do we sacrifice for God today? We fast food, entertainment, or any number of things. But what does God really want? “Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.” Hebrews 13:15
Praise. How is praise a sacrifice? Well. it is easy to praise God in the good times. Doesn’t God expect us to praise Him at all times? I don’t know about you, but I feel so much better when I am focused on the attributes of God and not on myself. As Americans, we need to get back to offering sacrifices to God always. Sacrifice our feelings, our “rights”, our lives, for Him. God delights in our prayers of praise to Him.
Father, Your Word says that if we delight ourselves in You, You will give us the desires of our hearts. Please direct our paths in Your ways everlasting so that Your will becomes our desire; so that Your way becomes our delight. Fill us with the power of Your presence and bind us together as a people of one nation, under God. And through each day, to You be the glory for all goodness and blessing that come our way. In Jesus’ Name, Amen
Share this:
Heart Notes of Life 