“I desire to do your will, my God;
your law is within my heart.”
Hosea 6:6
For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,
the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
1 Samuel 15:22
But Samuel replied:
“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
as much as in obeying the Lord?
To obey is better than sacrifice,
and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
For rebellion is like the sin of divination,
and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
he has rejected you as king.”
Isaiah 1:11
“The multitude of your sacrifices—
what are they to me?” says the Lord.
“I have more than enough of burnt offerings,
of rams and the fat of fattened animals;
I have no pleasure
in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.
When you come to appear before me,
who has asked this of you,
this trampling of my courts?
Stop bringing meaningless offerings!
Your incense is detestable to me.
New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations—
I cannot bear your worthless assemblies.
Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals
I hate with all my being.
They have become a burden to me;
I am weary of bearing them.
When you spread out your hands in prayer,
I hide my eyes from you;
even when you offer many prayers,
I am not listening.
Your hands are full of blood!
Wash and make yourselves clean.
Take your evil deeds out of my sight;
stop doing wrong.
Learn to do right; seek justice.
Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
plead the case of the widow.
“Come now, let us settle the matter,”
says the Lord.
Jeremiah 4:22
“My people are fools;
they do not know me.
They are senseless children;
they have no understanding.
Mica 6:8
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.
Matt 12:32
Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
I recently spent time in Roatan, Honduras and met some fine young men. The one thing I was so encouraged about was their heart for God and how open they were to talk about it. There was no desire on their part to impress or judge it was a pure heart to talk about God and their walk and struggles with this walk. Their heart desire was to seek knowledge and understanding of His word and being able to apply it in their lives. These young men have struggles that we can’t even comprehend. Little or no father figure in their lives, cultural pressure from their friends, lack of consistent water, food, shelter, clothes, and yet they have chosen to serve, honor and glorify God. They spoke openly about sometimes not walking close to Him and I was so humbled by this openness. When we talk about how we are doing in our walk with God we don’t seem to open up and speak about all that sets us back. Even worse is sometimes we don’t even see how lacking we are. We pretend or perform trying to make ourselves right before God and man in our own eyes. The truth escapes us in this matter because we lack knowledge and understanding which comes from His word in our hearts and minds. I wonder if our submission to Christ is nothing more than an insurance policy against eternity in hell. How sad is this? Rather than being open and honest about our time in God’s word and application of it in our thoughts and actions we shrug it off because we don’t see immediate need or find time. I am not sure if I will see these young men again – I certainly plan on it – their names are written on my heart “Bebe, Jorvick, Pablo, Menfy, Hubert, Richard, Jonny, Jason, Christopher, Bryan, Carry, Oral”. Please keep them in your prayers of protection, guidance, and blessing from God.
