WHAT GOD WANTS
- Key Verse
“I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens…Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats? Sacrifice thank offerings to God….” (Psalm 50:9, 13-14)
READ THE CHAPTER
Central Truth
There are many gifts we can offer up to God, but we often withhold one of the few things He really wants from us: a thankful heart.
Reflections
When I was about 8 years old, I mercilessly hounded my poor parents months before Christmas for the coveted “Velvet” doll. Velvet sported a cool outfit and silky blond hair that lengthened by pulling it from a hole in the top of her head (scary!). Problem: Every other 8-year-old girl in America wanted Velvet – she was the Hannah Montana of the 70’s. When I unwrapped Velvet on Christmas morning, I knew that my parents had gone to extreme measures to obtain her; at the very least, standing in a long line at K-Mart. This gift meant my parents knew me, loved me, and were willing to sacrifice just to see the delight on my face.
Conversely, we’ve all experienced the disappointment of receiving a gift that didn’t seem to have us in mind at all: the gift we couldn’t use (“A cookbook? Seriously?”), didn’t want (“A calorie counter! You shouldn’t have!”), or already had (“More socks! Yippee!”). Such gifts make us question whether the giver has any inkling of who we are and what will bring us joy.
Funny; I don’t like to get these types of gifts, but I don’t have a problem giving God things He doesn’t really want or need. God plainly tells us in this passage what He wants; the sacrifice of our thanks. Sacrificial thanks is the “I’m gonna do this even when it hurts and I don’t really feel thankful” type of offering that tells God He is worthy of our praise and thanks, no matter what. God doesn’t need meaningless trinkets like compliance to rules or lip-service to His ways. But since a thankful heart is much harder to come by, I keep dragging before God the same old tokens of my devotion.
The gift of my thankful heart may not be the prettiest package; in fact, it will probably look pretty messy. But God will make it something worthwhile. He can do much more with that than with my gifts of obligation.
If we’re going to give God a gift, let’s give Him something He really wants – our thankful hearts.
Discussion Questions
1. What “sacrifices” do you keep offering to God that He does not need or require?
2. Read 1 Samuel 15:22, Psalm 51:17 and Philippians 4:6. What do these verses tell us about what God wants?
3. Thank God today for something that you don’t necessarily feel thankful for. Ask Him to be pleased with your sacrifice of thanks and to use it in your life for His glory.
Danny
May 10, 2010 05:28 AM
Good Morning Jennifer !! Excellent Devotional and sorry to Hear of your loss back in 2004 and my lost was back in 2002 and i commend you for taking charge..wow..and may God always richly bless you.Danny
Chip Smith
May 10, 2010 05:38 AM
Good morning Jennifer. I can remember many a Christmas Eve that I would sneak out to find my dad at dark thirty putting together a complex gift for me or my sister. I am very thankful for a loving dad who sacrificed much for me. I know as I write this, there is probably someone reading this that did not have a dad who cared for them so. However, no matter how great my dad was, there were some areas of hurt. This is not so with my Heavenly Father. His love for me never wavers and all he does is perfect. I am eternally grateful to Him for the sacrifice of His own Son, Jesus Christ, so that I might be forgiven and forever delight in His presence. Your log this morning makes me realize that as I was growing up, most of the time, I did not put much thought into the Christmas gifts I gave my dad. This makes me think about the effort and consideration of the gifts I give back to the Father. I will start today being more intentional about this. Thank you and have a great day.
Darryl Worsham
May 10, 2010 06:39 AM
Jennifer, thx for reminding me/us of our need to offer God a thankful heart...socks included.
Robert
May 10, 2010 07:14 AM
Greetings Jennifer. Reading your excellent devo today reminded me of your devo last year, and about Christmas gifts. Yes, the Snuggies stay folded neatly in the closet.
Lisa
May 10, 2010 07:41 AM
Jennifer - question 3 is one that I honestly wrestle with daily - to thank God for something I don't necessarily feel thankful for. Sometimes life just stinks. After thanking Him, I tell Him I trust Him. After doing this for quite a while the words don't feel quite so foreign on my tongue anymore!!
Cindy Hawks
May 10, 2010 07:45 AM
Hey Jen! Your devotional was both convicting and relieving! Isn't that interesting? A challenging reminder that thankfulness needs to be my core, daily response to God, yet relieving to be reminded how simple it is to please God! Thanks for your insights this morning!
Tim Hawks
May 10, 2010 08:09 AM
Jennifer, thanks for pointing us to the key truth in this passage. I preached on this last fall and made some decisions to work at expressing thankfulness this year but have not been consistent. God spoke to me this morning. It also struck me that God promises to "show up" in situations where people are thankful. Thankful people see God for who He is and they see Him working more often than those who don't express gratitude!
Mason
May 10, 2010 08:31 AM
Hi Jen. I really appreciate your devo. I was just talking with Teri about some needed heart realignment this morning and this is exactly what I needed to hear. I like the way God reinforces what He's trying to tell me by using multiple venues in order for me to get the message. I'm kinda slow so He is gracious enough to repeat Himself. Thanks for speaking on His behalf.
Betsy Doolittle
May 10, 2010 08:55 AM
Jennifer- Thank you for your clarity and wisdom. I read the passage and started to think about looking through Leviticus to find out what a thank offering consisted of--two doves? Then I thought, I'll just read Jennifer's words and maybe I'll get it. Your central truth immediately put me at ease. Also, the passages you added in Question 2 deepened my understanding. It's not about tasks! I so often try to "do" what I'm supposed to and forget to "think" about what God is wanting from me. May God bless you and your family!
Eric Hoehn
May 10, 2010 09:02 AM
Jen, Great job!! I have found that when I can measure my dependence on God by how thanful I am to Him
Judy Miller
May 10, 2010 10:19 AM
Great devotional, Jennifer. This really hit home with me as my key theme verse that God laid on my heart for this year is I Thess 5:16-18. Part of the way I am applying that is to keep a journal recording something I am thankful for each day. Your devotional helps me remember how important a thankful heart is to God.
norma harais
May 10, 2010 10:51 AM
I so appreciated your devo! A thankful heart -- no matter how unsightly -- is beautiful to God.
Laurie Carlson
May 10, 2010 11:35 AM
Thank Jen, thankfulness is a heart attitude that needs to be cultivated. We recently read of a dear friend who passed away after years of Alzheimers Disease. It was amazing to read the words from his wife of 66 years, when Norman's memory was gone what was left was a gracious attitude of kindness and thankfulness to the very end. He was quick with his "thank you's" and "amens", loved God's word and could sing "Amazing Grace" for two hours straight. That comes from having God's word abiding so deep in his heart that when the mind was gone, the Word remained. Challenging to me to remember to cultivate today what I want to be tomorrow!
Linda Jean Butler
May 12, 2010 08:31 AM
I have a "thing" for quirky socks and always give them along with the real gift. I hope I'm not the person whose gift is always dreaded ;-)