"For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;
You are not pleased with burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise."
Psalm 51:16-17
It's not the work of our hands that delights God, but the work of our heart. It begins when we repent of our sins with broken and humble hearts that yearn to be in fellowship with Him.
Until we accept the sacrifice that Christ made on Calvary, understanding that it's nothing we do that puts us in right stead with the Father, but rather the work of Christ on the cross that is our claim for pardon, we will be running against the wind. We will continue to be out of fellowship with our Father.
But when we accept our inability to gain God's favor through "living a good life", and come to Him humbly and repentant, confessing that Christ is Lord and receiving Him as our Savior, at last we are free from the bondage of sin, never to return to it as long as we remain in Christ.
Now we serve the Lord out of love and not out of guilt. This is what delights God. This is the truth that our Father wants us to grasp.
What I love about this truth is that it's truly the great equalizer. Everyone and anyone can receive this gift. No one is more eligible than the next, and once we accept God's gift of salvation, no one is more saved than anyone else. We're all saved by grace through faith. Done deal.
This is the joy inexpressible that God wants us to experience.
Today's music video Psalm 51 (Have Mercy On Me, O God) by Graham Kendrick is a prayerful song of repentance. I pray it ministers to you, as it has to me.
Isn't it comforting to know that we don't have to be slaves to 'works', but just base our faith on the great gift that Jesus gave us. Sometimes I feel like I need to 'do something ' so that the Lord will be pleased, and it's actually a relief to know that He already is, since I have put my faith in the finished work of Jesus. I grew up in a home where acceptance was based on performance, an often impossible standard. It's been a growth process to really understand that God is not like that. It's a relief!
ReplyDelete"Now we serve the Lord out of love and not out of guilt. This is what delights God. This is the truth that our Father wants us to grasp. "
ReplyDeletePOWERFUL!
May I add to your selected verse:
ReplyDeleteAnd Samuel said,
“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
as in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
and to listen than the fat of rams.
For rebellion is as the sin of divination,
and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
he has also rejected you from being king.”
(1 Samuel 15:22-23, ESV)
As you well know, faith without works is dead (James 2:14-26). He does delight in good works as long as they are motivated by a pure heart. All fathers love obedient children, so how could He not? Of course, as they say - if you ask your son to hold his horses, you may well end up with ponies on your porch. And our best efforts are often just that. But is that not still endearing?
Beautiful thoughts and post. Have a wonderful week. Hugs. Kris
ReplyDeleteNancy I love visiting your blog and seeing your faith and your love of Christ's gospel expressed. He's called us all to be ambassadors for the gospel and you are serving Him well. Isn't it our greatest hope to one day stand before Him and hear the words "good and faithful servant."
ReplyDeleteGod bless you sweet sister, I wish you lived close enough for me to drive so that we could have lunch or coffee together. I miss you.
I constantly have to be reminded of this. Thank you Nancy.
ReplyDelete