Boy I have been toying this idea around for about a week or so now ans slowly I have developed something that I think I can really sink my teeth into….Metaphorically speaking…Otherwise it would be GROSS!
I have just started reading the book of Isaiah In my daily devotions. I have always struggled with the books of Isaiah and Jeremiah. They are depressing BUT on the day i started I got a nugget of truth that just impacted me so very deeply!
So lets get started….
Let’s ;look at Isaiah Chapter 1 verses 11 through 17
Isa 1:11 “What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the LORD; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats.
Isa 1:12 “When you come to appear before me, who has required of you this trampling of my courts?
Isa 1:13 Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations– I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly.
Isa 1:14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them.
Isa 1:15 When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood.
Isa 1:16 Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil,
Isa 1:17 learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause. (ESV)
So basically God is telling the Isrealites that because your heart is not right your offerings mean nothing to Me.
If you remember back to the Pentateuch (the first 5 books of the Old Testament) God gives the Hebrew people a list of sacrifices that they had to make. Some were peace offerings, Some were offerings of thanksgiving Some some were sin offerings. When the New Testament begins and Jesus comes on the scene Jesus is Perfect He is all God and all Man. He is the only perfect person to walk the face of the Earth and He became the Last sacrifice needed to Atone (or Cover) our sins.. So after Jesus died did our sacrifices end? YES AND NO!
“But you just said …..”
I know I know Just hear me our….
We don’t need to have the Blood and Guts…But we ourselves need to give sacrificially….Of our time, our money, Our possessions…in short of ourselves. Noit just the things we want to give BUT everything..
SO how do I know this you may ask…Well Do you really think I’m going to leave you hanging after all of this…NO WAY…I have a verse from 1 Corinthians 10:31
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (ESV)
Note the WHATEVER YOU DO…..DO ALL to the Glory of God….Not just some or part BUT ALL!!! So you see everything we do should be a LIVING sacrifice to God.
What a great reminder right? Well If you have a hard time remembering verses as I do….Heres a Help..coutesy of Steven Curtis Chapman and his song “DO EVERYTHING”
ENJOY AND HAVE A BLESSED DAY!
