God chose the nation of Israel as His people to represent Him to this world. They were supposed to attract other nations to God by their godly living, but they rebelled against God. They became like the ungodly nations, and their worship became empty. They still offered clean animal sacrifices for their sins, just as God taught them to deal with their sins, but it became a rote or something that they do habitually. They had lost the meaning and significance of animal sacrifices. Their hearts were not changing, and they became cold toward God. They performed their animal sacrifices to perfection, but their hearts were far from God. God said to them, "I bring no charges against you concerning your sacrifices or concerning your burnt offerings, which are ever before me (Psalm 50:8). But the following were the charges of God against His people, Israel, "What right have you to recite my laws or take my covenant on your lips? You hate my instruction and cast my words behind you. When you see a thief, you join with him; you throw in your lot with adulterers. You use your mouth for evil and harness your tongue to deceit. You sit and testify against your brother and slander your own mother's son. When you did these things, and I kept silent, you thought I was exactly like you. But I now arraign you and set my accusations before you (Psalm 50:16-21)."
God wants us to live according to our faith in Him. God doesn't want us to live a double life. He wants us to be sincere in our relationship with Him. The nations of Israel thought that they could keep on offering sacrifices just to satisfy the demands of God and continue with their sinful lifestyle. But God said to them, "I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens, for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the insects in the fields are mine. If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it (Psalm 50:9-12)." When we give to God, we need to understand that He doesn't need our money, but He wants our hearts and sincerity. Our offering to God should be the expression of our gratitude towards Him. We appreciate His love and kindness toward us it moves us to give. God doesn't owe us anything, but we owe everything to God.
Let us examine our hearts to see if we are sincere in our relationship with God. If we find ourselves distant and cold toward God, it is time to repent and go back to Him. It is time for us to humble our hearts before God and ask Him to change our hearts and surrender our lives completely to Him. It is time for us to get serious about our relationship with Him.
Questions for application: (Think through these questions carefully, meditate on them while answering them, and let the Spirit of God speak to you). What was the problem of the nation of Israel? What matters to God, my sincere heart or what I do and give to Him? What should I do if I have been living a double life?
Write down all the worries you face today and lift them up to God.
Prayer:
Father in Heaven, you are familiar with all of my ways. You know the condition of my heart today, and please forgive me for all the sins that I have done. Please cleanse my heart from any sin that I have committed. I surrender my heart and life to you today and renew my relationship with you. Thank you for your grace, mercy, and love. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.