Right Hearts – The Presidential Prayer Team

For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. – Hosea 6:6

Before Jesus came to Earth and became the final perfect sacrifice for sin, God’s people were required to bring sacrifices of different animals in order to cover their sin before God. Part of the Hebrew law outlined how people were supposed to make their offerings before God. For example, the sin offering required different preparations than a burnt offering.

At the time of Hosea the prophet, the people were still committed to bringing sacrifices to God. They knew the steps to take, and went through the motions of whatever it was they needed to do. The problem, though, was that their hearts were not in the right place when they were making their sacrifices. They did what they were supposed to do, but did not have the knowledge or understanding as to why they were supposed to do it. During Hosea’s time, God’s people lived their lives according to their own desires, rather than trying to live their lives according to His will. God expressed His dissatisfaction with their going through the motions. He wanted a relationship with His children, who had right hearts full of His truth.

As you pray today, as the Lord to reveal any area in your life where you go through the motions. Take time today to let God show you where your heart may need to be adjusted to have a better relationship with Him. Lift up the nation to Him, and ask that God would work in the hearts of Americans, as He did in the time of Hosea, to give them a desire for true relationship with Him.

Today’s Verse: Hosea 6:6

For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,
    the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Recommended for further reading: Matthew 12:1-8

12 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. ²But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.” ³He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him: ⁴how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? ⁵Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless? ⁶I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. ⁷And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. ⁸For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”