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Every Friday I join a community of bloggers for Five Minute Friday. One word prompt, five minutes. The prompt this week is … Sacrifice.

Sacrifice. The word brings to mind the giving up of something or the loss.

This life will require sacrifice of us – the giving up of time and our own plans, for life is not lived solely for ourselves.

Samuel truly came to understand the point of life was to fully surrender and commitment to the purposes of God, and challenges us with these words still today:

“What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.” (1 Samuel 15:22, NLT)

God wants our obedience, not our rote rituals. God desires that our ears be open to hear His Word and obey.

These words indicate the importance of our heart attitude over our offering. God wants our hearts to eagerly hear and willingly obey and follow Him.

David, in writing Psalm 40, reiterates this very same thought:

“You take no delight in sacrifices or offerings. Now that you have made me listen, I finally understand – you don’t require burnt offerings or sin offerings” (verse 6).

Only when God unplugged David’s ears to hear did he become willing and able to obey God.

And so it is with each of us. May we each come to say, like David:

“I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart.”
(Psalm 40:8, NLT)

 

Image by Günther Schneider from Pixabay
Today I am joining …  Five Minute Friday and Faith On Fire and Friendship Friday .