This morning, while doing my morning prayer and reading, I stumbled upon Hosea 6:6 and the spirit of the Lord came upon me. The verse read, “For I desire mercy (steadfast love) not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.” Suddenly I became painfully aware of what is most important to God. It is simply to love one another and getting to know God on a personal level.
Many times we try to get close to God by sacrificial offerings. We sacrifice money (tithing); we sacrifice time (volunteering/church); and we sacrifice food (fasting), yet with all of these sacrifices we forget to be truly loving and merciful towards one another. We sometimes forget what it means to be good to our spouses, effective parents to our children; loyal and understanding friends, helpful neighbors, and compassionate strangers. We forget to ask the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of God’s will because we are so busy bending the world to our own will. Sometimes we are so busy sacrificing that we fail to be in relationship with the God we are supposed to be sacrificing for.
Sacrifices are necessary and God appreciates them, but that it is not the point of it all. The point of it all is to seek God, to know God, and to let God’s light shine through us by the love we show to others.
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This is true! Well said Violette.
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