Thought for Today - November 27, 2022
Acceptable Sacrifice
By: Robert A. Searles
“Oh that men would praise the
Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of
men! And let them sacrifice the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and
declare his works with rejoicing.” Psalm 107: 21, 22 (KJV).
“I will praise the name of God
with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. This shall
please the Lord better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and
hoofs.” Psalm 69: 30, 31 (*KJV)
An ox or a bullock offered upon an
altar as a sacrifice to God is something that can be seen and
touched, and something that seems to be real in the earthly sphere of
things, and it is probably quite costly to the owner or the person
offering it; however, God has said that he values more highly than
the ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs, the praise and gratitude
from the heart of his people.
God said that love is the more
perfect way.; Good works, good deeds, good morals, sacrifice, all
these things that man can offer up to God are abominations, and a
stench in God's nostrils unless they are genuinely motivated by love
and praise and thanksgiving.
Just to be talking about God, and
to be doing things that pertain to God, and to be all wrapped up in
some service for him in the name of God, is not enough by itself.
Martha was busy about many things, she was so wrapped up in doing
things, that she had little time for the Lord himself. Jesus did
not say that Martha was completely wrong in doing, but he did say
that Mary had chosen the better part. What was the better part? The
better part was to sit at his feet and worship him, and listen to his
teaching, and love him and show her gratitude, praise, and
thanksgiving, by washing his feet with her hair.
The acceptable sacrifice to God is
love and gratitude to God. Jesus said: “Thou shall love the Lord
thy God with all thy heart and all thy mind and all thy soul.” Our
love of God will cause us to put everything else aside and make the
Lord truly the Lord of our lives, and seek him first in all things,
and trust him for all our needs.
God will not fail us if we truly
trust and believe his word. If we will be preoccupied with God –
God has promised that all our needs will be met and that our hearts
wil burst forth wit new wine. Let us pray that God will help us
individually and together to offer the right kind of sacrifices to
him, which is the best of our time, the best of our life, the first
fruits of all our increase, the first part of every new day, and live
in such a way that we will be a testimony to all people that we rely
wholly on God, and not our own efforts, nor our own wisdom.
Telehelp Publications Christian Literature Ministry
Psalm 26: 7
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