True worship of God is always a matter of the innermost
disposition of the worshiper. Jesus said, “God
is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John
4:24) David helps us to see this from an OT perspective: “For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I
would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of
God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not
despise.” (51:16-17)
It doesn’t seem that David is saying that God does not want
the sacrificial system that he has instituted for OT believers because in v. 19
David speaks of God delighting in them. Rather David is saying that God does
not delight in sacrifice or burnt offering that is given from a worshiper who
is not broken in spirit and contrite of heart before him. This strikes at the
heart of our worship today. Do we offer worship to God from a broken and
contrite heart. Or do we try to worship from a proud heart? Or from a distracted
heart? Or from a bitter and angry heart? Or any kind of heart that is not
humble and contrite before God?
Let us humble ourselves and draw near to God as he has
promised: “But he gives more grace.
Therefore it says, ‘God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’” (James
4:6)
Prayer: Father, help us to humble ourselves before you. You
have promised that the one to whom you will look is humble and contrite in
spirit and trembles at your word. So help us to live with a spirit of humility
and contrition before you at all times, for all of our lives are to be an act
of worship.
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