“Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and perform your vows to the Most High,
and call upon me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”
– Psalm 50:14-15
It would be impossible to describe how much more concerned God is with your attitude than the appearances of your religion. In this psalm, God reminds us that He doesn’t actually need anything from us. He doesn’t need the sacrifices or services we offer. Elaborate rituals of religiosity don’t impress Him. What matters to God in the practice of our faith is our heart behind our practices. Are we responding to God’s grace, love, and faithfulness with love, thankfulness, and faithfulness?
If you practice religion to try and gain favor with God, stop. Just stop. Trust in Jesus and know that by God’s grace, He already favors you more than you can possibly understand or imagine. God’s love and blessing is given entirely as a gift of undeserved, unearned grace. How you express your faith in worship, praise, discipleship, evangelism, sacrifice, and service to the Lord should entirely reflect the joy, gratitude, and thanksgiving in your heart for what you’ve already received from God through Jesus Christ: love, forgiveness, eternal life, adoption, union, salvation, transformation. If it doesn’t, what are you doing? What are you trying to accomplish?
The Great Commandment says to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind. That certainly includes worshiping regularly and sacrificial giving to His Kingdom, but don’t do those things to “get right” with God. Do those things because God has already made you right with Him through Jesus Christ. Let your heart and mind overflow with thanksgiving and joy. Give that up to God in every way you can think of. Be faithful and obedient to Him, not out of fear but out of love and gratitude.
As you understand and embrace God’s grace, responding to it with worship, faithfulness, love, and thanksgiving, then your prayers will increasingly align to God’s will. He will hear your requests with delight and respond with blessing. He will be with you through every trial in life and ultimately deliver you unto Himself to enjoy His presence forever and ever. #FollowJesus