Is God honored and pleased simply with material offerings or rote recitation of God's word? He is not. Our God is the Mighty One, the LORD, who summons the heavens and the earth. He is perfect in beauty and the God of justice. God's people brought animal sacrifices, but God did not need their bulls and goats (9). Every animal, bird, insect, and everything else in the world already belongs to God (10-12)! God desires much more than things or good words from us. He desires our hearts.

Our offerings should reflect gratitude, love, and humility toward God. God invites us to sacrifice thank offerings and to humbly call on him in the day of trouble. He promises to deliver us and then we will honor him as a result (15). Rather than hypocritically speak God's covenant and then later use our mouths to speak evil (16,19), we can offer a sacrifice of praise for his Son Jesus (Heb 13:15). When we relate to God in a mechanical or transactional way, he is not pleased. However, when we sacrifice thank offerings, we honor him and he reveals his salvation (23). How will you honor and thank God today?


Application: Father, everything we have belongs to you. I offer to you praise and thanks for salvation in Jesus. Please deliver me from troubles and help me to honor you.
One Word: An offering of thanks to God