July 15

Jul 15 - Today from Proverbs 15 we look at verse 8
"The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases Him."

Many of the proverbs teach by using the method of contrast. This is one such example. The subjects involved in the contrast are the wicked and the upright. The objects of the contrast are sacrifice and prayer. The results of the contrast are either detestable or pleasing to the Lord. The interesting observation here is that the proverbs always compare 'apples to apples', to coin an old phrase. This means there is a clear correlation between the two actions of sacrifice and prayer. There is a message here for us.
The dictionary defines a sacrifice as the forfeiture of something highly valued for the sake of something considered to have a greater value. Already my heart is overwhelmed as I think about the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross. What did He value more than His own life? Think about it dear saint. He valued your life and my life. It is almost incomprehensible. He had to make a choice in the Garden of Gethsemane, it was a choice all about values. History reveals that choice. The Holy Spirit confirms it. A greater sacrifice was never given! Hallelujah!
This verse challenges us to think about our own values. Any time the upright pray, I am fully convinced it is pleasing to God. But often, the upright pray only when it is convenient. When is the last time you gave up something highly valued to yourself in order to make time to spend in prayer? I know people whose regular prayer time is when they are driving to work. I applaud that, and I believe God is pleased with that, but there is no real sacrifice involved. I know people whose regular prayer time is around the dinner table, included in family devotions. I applaud that, and I believe God is pleased with that, but there is no real sacrifice involved. We have a corporate prayer meeting at our church every Tuesday evening. Besides myself, there are two regular attendees. God invites us to come together and meet with Him on that night, and He is faithful to always be there. These saints who come must give up family time, or TV time, or whatever they would normally be doing at that time, go out and get in their car, and drive all the way to church (again!). Whew! There is sacrifice involved. They valued God's invitation to gather and pray with other saints more than the time that they obviously gave up for other things. There is a popular saying that I grew up with, but sadly, I never hear it any more. "Families that pray together, stay together." I believe that to be true if prayer is properly practiced. Prayer is coming into the presence of our Father and God, and opening ourselves to Him and His will. If a church family would make the sacrifice to pray together, I am fully convinced that they would stay together. Sacrifice is a matter of values. We have great problems with values in our society and in our church today.
By studying this verse, God brings us even closer to the reality of sacrifice in prayer. From the original Hebrew, the literal translation of sacrifice in this verse means the slaughter of the flesh of an animal. The New Testament believer cannot get away from this great principle of sanctification - we are to offer up our bodies as a living sacrifice in service to the One who sacrificed Himself for us (Romans 12:1). Remembering the values choice He made in the Garden on the night of His betrayal, how can we give Him any less? Can we sacrifice some TV time to pray? Can we sacrifice some leisure activity to pray? We can espouse our values in glorious accolades - but it is our actions that determine our true values. Does the flesh get priority? Or, does the Lord get priority?
Wisdom acts on the values of the spirit. God gives grace to act, if we will but appropriate it.