Read: Psalm 40:6-8, Romans 12:1-2
There was a big mistake that a lot of Israelites made ever since God gave them the law in the wilderness. Can you think of what that mistake might be? I’m not talking about the way that Israel did not destroy all the other nations in the way that God commanded them. I’m not talking about how often they disobeyed God’s law by engaging in sinful practices. I’m not even talking about the way that many from Israel turned away from the true God to worship idols. Of course these things were all big, sinful mistakes but I’m talking about something far more hidden, far more socially acceptable.
I’m talking about the mistake many Israelites made in thinking that all they had to do to be right with God was to perform the sacrifices that God had commanded in the exact way that He prescribed. That if they only did the sacrifices, even without changing their hearts or attitudes, they would get off scot-free. This mistake continued for thousands of years. Saul, the King of Israel before David, made this mistake and had to be corrected by the prophet Samuel in 1 Samuel 15:22-23. Even in the time of Jesus, thousands of years later, the Pharisees were making the same mistake when they thought that sacrifices and keeping the law was enough, even without a change of heart.
David recognises that this is not the way that God operates. In verse six he writes: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced; burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.” God does not desire burnt or sacrificed animals, God desires sincere, heartfelt obedience both outwardly and inwardly. God isn’t only interested in us simply doing what he says. God cares about our hearts also. Even if we are doing exactly what He commands if we do it out of a sinful heart we will not please God.
This is why David talks about His ears being pierced. David didn’t go to visit the piercing studio, he’s talking about how God’s word has pierced his ears and his
This is the kind of sacrifice which is pleasing to the Lord, the only fitting and proper response to the gift of salvation that we have been freely given by God. Paul talks about this in the New Testament as well. In Romans 12:1-2 he tells us that in view of God’s mercy, in view of God’s incredible work of salvation that Paul has described in chapters 1-11, we should give ourselves to God as living sacrifices. This is our true or spiritual act of worship.
God doesn’t desire animal sacrifices or lip service. He desires that we surrender ourselves totally to Him. He desires that we would give our every moment, everything we do, everything we think and everything we feel to Him as an act of worship. Just as the words of the old Hymn by E Hall and J Grape say:
“Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe...”
Prayer:
Use the Bible passage from today and the reading notes to write down your prayer points before you pray.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Pray for the families in your church that are on holidays at the moment. Pray that they would grow together as families and draw closer to God.
¥ Pray for those Christians around the world who are facing intense persecution and literally risk their lives for the sake of their faith. Pray that God would strengthen them to endure their suffering and give them boldness to share their faith with others.
If you offer yourself to God as a living sacrifice your every moment is given to Him as an act of worship. This includes your work, your family time, relaxing, eating, drinking, even sleeping! How would this change the way you live?
1. What are some of the ways that we unintentionally fall into this same big mistake?
2. How can we avoid this?
3. We often think of being a living sacrifice as an act of the mind or of the heart. Although this is true why do you think that Paul talks about the body specifically before mentioning the mind?
Intro: Do you love using your imagination and pretending when you are playing?
Share: A time when you have pretended to be someone else while you are playing. Who did you pretend to be? What did you do?
Read: 1 Samuel 16:1-13. When we pretend to be someone else we are putting on an act. Can you think of some times when it is bad to pretend? God doesn’t want us to simply pretend to love Him. What does God say that He looks at? (hint: vs7) What does it mean to love God with our heart and not just pretend?
Pray Together: Pray that God would work in your heart and help you to love Him more and more.
Intro: Do you love using your imagination and pretending when you are playing?
Share: A time when you have pretended to be someone else while you are playing. Who did you pretend to be? What did you do?
Read: 1 Samuel 16:1-13. When we pretend to be someone else we are putting on an act. Can you think of some times when it is bad to pretend? God doesn’t want us to simply pretend to love Him. What does God say that He looks at? (hint: vs7) What does it mean to love God with our heart and not just pretend?
Pray Together: Pray that God would work in your heart and help you to love Him more and more.
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