Appreciation is one of the key longings in the heart of humankind. A child seeks appreciation from his parents, an employee seeks appreciation from his employer, a friend seeks appreciation from his friends, a family member seeks appreciation from his family, husband from his wife, a wife from her husband, a pastor from his church family, a believer from mainly his/her Pastors and Elders, a prime minister from citizens of his country, civilians from rulers, list goes on. There is always fruit based on what is sown.
Many of us, who believe in Jesus, are taken up with the blessings – what God has to do with us. What he has done for us – and how that can be benefitting in our finances and health and relationships. I have been in Christ more than 10 years now, but the most painful surprise is – almost none, I have met who talks about what we are to be over the earthly blessings like health and wealth. This is where Christianity deviates from being on the right path with Christ.
Genesis 4:5 but he did not accept Cain and his gift.
Amos 5:22 Even though you offer Me your burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them; And I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fattened animals.
Looking into these two verses – there is something God wants in the right place. Genesis 4:5 indicates that first Cain and then his gift was not accepted by God. Why does it say Cain? The one that was offered by Cain to God should have been the concern of God. It’s the heart of man that God sees. The vivid picture is – the heart of Cain was not after God, without reverence, or with hypocrisy. God opposes pride.
Amos 5:22 is another truth that God doesn’t accept some offerings – some offerings he doesn’t even look at. The reason behind is hypocrisy and pride in men. Have we analyzed all these in us and what God really wants from us? We give something to God in every Sunday meeting – but do we think whether God is accepting them? Do we think God is looking to them? We present ourselves to the meetings – have we ever thought that if God is really accepting our heart – looking at our heart – which we think that we have offered him?
Isaiah 61:1-2 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners, / to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of our God’s vengeance, to comfort all who mourn.
Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
Scriptures are so exact. If we look carefully at the order of the words and objectives in Isaiah 61:1-2, it’s clear that the Gospel is to be preached to the poor. Who are the poor? The first thing it mentions is “the brokenhearted”, then it goes on to say, “captives” and “prisoners”. So in the kingdom of God, poor are those who are brokenhearted, captivated and imprisoned by something. That is by sin or flesh or devil. Men never can overcome these by themselves, but through the Holy Spirit of God, through Christ Lord, through word of God. That is why Jesus mentioned the same word in Luke 4:18. He was anointed to preach gospel to the poor – that starts with brokenhearted.
People try to overcome anger, lust, pride, bitterness, jealousy, love of money, title, position, etc. but they know that that’s not long lasting. After long trying and trying, they give up, they are sad, brokenhearted. They need someone who can help them. And it’s none – but Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit of God. Are you still seeking to overcome them? Then you are brokenhearted. Are you still feeling you are stuck and taken up by lust, anger, stress, jealousy, etc? If your answer is Yes, then you are a captive or prisoner of Flesh or Sin or Devil. Gospel is for you even though you are already a believer, it could be so in your life.
The reason is, we don’t know what is the best offering to God. What God likes in our offerings – which he not only accepts but also looks at, and never rejects.
1 Samuel 13:14 But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.
David was called a man after God’s heart. A man is considered after God’s heart only when he keeps what the Lord has commanded or commands. And keeping Lord’s command is not what we alone can keep. Never, no way. The total power we need from God is his Holy Spirit. David knew it very well, that is why he wrote Psalm 51:17 by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
Psalm 51:17 The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. (NLT)
Psalm 51:17 My [only] sacrifice [acceptable] to God is a broken spirit; A broken and contrite heart [broken with sorrow for sin, thoroughly penitent], such, O God, You will not despise. (AMP)
So, to God, the best offering is – a broken heart. That is only sacrifice acceptable to God. Broken heart – because you have failed to overcome lust, and every kind of sin by your own effort. But you want to overcome it, because God hates sin, and reverence to God in your heart is so huge, you want to repent before God for this, and you are humble enough to tell this to God, and seek for his power – his Holy Spirit to overcome it.
Let’s be thoughtful about this, humble ourselves enough, and repent. God pleases offering of broken heart, and never despises it. We love God, but God loves us more than we have ever thought. Amen!
Stay tuned—this continues in the next article….