Acceptable Sacrifices

On my bus ride to work one day recently, I overheard a lady in the seat behind me telling a friend about how large a part of her life is devoted to church work: how much time she spends as the church's music director and as a member of several committees, how much money she spends on church projects and charities--and how much more valuable she is to her church than its lazy, clueless pastor!  I lamented in my heart that one who obviously thought of herself as an exemplary Christian could be so lacking in love and humility, and remembered Christ's parable of the Pharisee and the Publican (Luke 18:9-14). I silently prayed that the Holy Spirit would move her to see how wrong her attitude was (Psalm 15:3; 2 Corinthians 12:20), and what a more abundant life--for her and her church--awaited a true change of heart.

In this Christmas season of special services and boisterous activity in churches and among their members, it may be well to remember that the Lord is not pleased with "vain oblations" (Isaiah 1:13), with the fasts and tithes of one a Pharisee in heart (Luke 18:12), or with the "many prayers" of those whose "hands are full of blood" (Isaiah 1:15).  "For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings."  (Hosea 6:6)  Our meetings, prayers, hymns, fasts, feasts, and even almsgiving are acceptable to God only when done in a spirit of genuine humility and of love for Him and for our fellow men. "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." (Psalms 51:17)  What the Lord really wants is for us "to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with [Him]." (Micah 6:8)  The acceptable sacrifice is to make ourselves clean; "cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow." Our commemorations and celebrations will have true meaning only when our hearts are like the Publican's, and--like the child Jesus and his earthly parents--we live our daily lives in simple faith, reverence, and love toward others.


Tom Fleming
Songs of Praises