For on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord, there in the land all the people of Israel will serve me, and there I will accept them. There I will require your offerings and your choice gifts, along with all your holy sacrifices. I will accept you as fragrant incense when I bring you out from the nations and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will be proved holy through you in the sight of the nations.
Ezekiel 20:40-41 NIV
This passage reminds us that God does not accept just any offering. He accepts offerings from a life aligned with Him. At the time of this prophecy, Israel was in rebellion, worshipping idols and straying from God’s commandments. Yet, He speaks of a future when they will turn back to Him. Only when they abandon their sinful ways and devote their hearts to Him will their offerings be acceptable.
God’s message is clear: before bringing our gifts to Him, we must first surrender our hearts. He does not prioritise sacrifices over salvation. No amount of giving—whether service, financial offering, or outward religious acts—can replace a heart truly devoted to Him. As Psalm 51:17 states, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”
This truth applies to us today. It is easy to go through the motions of giving, serving, or performing religious duties while neglecting the state of our hearts. But God desires relationship over ritual. He longs for us to walk in His ways before bringing Him our gifts. When we align our lives with His will, our giving becomes a natural outpouring of love and gratitude rather than an empty gesture.
The call to us is to prioritise intimacy with God. Instead of focusing on what we can offer Him, we should first ask: Am I living in alignment with His will? When our hearts are right, our offerings—whether time, resources, or worship—become meaningful and acceptable in His sight. Only then will He look upon us with favour.
God is not after our sacrifices; He seeks our souls. When we surrender to Him first, everything else follows. In that surrender, we find true worship—one that pleases the Lord.