To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
Proverbs 21:3 NIV
In today’s world, many people make significant sacrifices to serve God. They give generously to others, donate to church work, pay tithes, offer gifts, and engage in various acts of devotion. While these sacrifices are important, God’s desire is not static or limited to outward gestures. Instead, He calls us to live righteous lives. Righteousness, which is right standing with God, involves living a life consecrated to Him. When our lives are consecrated, our sacrifices become acceptable to the Lord.
and Abel also gave an offering to the Lord. He killed the first-born lamb from one of his sheep and gave the Lord the best parts of it. The Lord was pleased with Abel and his offering, but not with Cain and his offering. This made Cain so angry that he could not hide his feelings.
Genesis 4:4-5 CEV
Consider the story of Cain and Abel. Scripture tells us that God rejected Cain and his offering but accepted Abel and his offering. The key detail is that God first accepted the life of the giver, not the offering itself. You may go out of your way to give to God and support His work, but if your life is not in right standing with Him, your offering will not be accepted. Similarly, Saul believed that offering sacrifices to God was enough to please Him, but Samuel corrected him by saying that obedience is better than sacrifice. Living in a way that pleases God is far more important than making grand gestures.
“Tell me,” Samuel said. “Does the Lord really want sacrifices and offerings? No! He doesn’t want your sacrifices. He wants you to obey him.
1 Samuel 15:22 CEV
God’s primary desire is that we live to please Him in all areas of our lives. Pleasing Him can involve giving, but it must begin with a life free from sin and unrighteousness. Imagine the tragedy of spending years serving God on earth, only to discover that your life was not pleasing to Him and you missed out on eternity with Him. Therefore, let us commit to living righteously here on earth. In our character, actions, giving, and all we do, we must strive to please the Lord. Ultimately, our sacrifices will not matter unless our lives are righteous and consecrated to God. It is a life that pleases Him that will grant us access to His Kingdom. So, are you living to please Him?
