Priorities!

Priorities!

Do what is right and fair; that pleases the LORD more than bringing him sacrifices. Proverbs 21:3 GNB

In order to fully understand the context of today's extract, let's look at the verse before it: You may think that everything you do is right, but remember that the LORD judges your motives. It is important to remember that we are dealing with a God of absolute knowledge; One who cannot be deceived. We may convince ourselves that we acted with the best of intentions; it doesn't mean that we think we are right. That judgment is reserved for the One who formed the heart and gave it its strings and powers of choice.

If I am conscious of the fact that God cannot be deceived by an outward show of piety, I will be careful of the things I do and how, why and when I do them. How do I know what is right and fair outside the One who is called the Just and True One? A knowledge of the world's laws and regulations is very good; it shows that you know what the law requires of you. But let it be known that the law does not of itself provide the strength and grace to live by its standards. You can have a moral code, and like Cornelius, do everything right, but there will always be something missing that only God can provide: the inner conviction that comes from His Spirit, and comforts us that we have all that we need to truly succeed in life. 

It is not your response to human laws that guarantees true success. Men have lived by the laws of men and still died miserable. But when you answer also to the higher standard of God's law, walking in his ways and seeking to please Him also, there is a joy that comes to you that nothing down here can replicate or replace. 

God's laws are made plain in His Word; He supplies grace to enable me comply. Obedience to His commands is the key to pleasing God. Sacrifices are also his command, but they cannot replace a heart of relationship and submission to God. I must not focus on the outward at the expense of the inward. I must not be so caught up with pleasing men and getting their approval that I neglect what God wants from me. At the end of the day, it is God's opinion that counts towards eternity. Am I pleasing God or doing my own thing? Eternity awaits your decision. His time of favour is here.