Appeasing God?

When I had teens in my house, I generally knew when they were up to something they were not supposed to be doing because they grew distant, avoiding contact with me. It wasn't that I drove them away or even that I was suspsicious. They had a guilty conscience and didn't want to be around me. Sometimes they would start to overdo 'nice,' being overly polite or helpful, which was reason to wonder - "What's up? What do we need to deal with and get out of the way?" A simple confession was sufficient to clear the air. Were there consequences for their disobedience? Yes, but the relationship was made whole, which was the highest priority.

Saul was sent to visit God's judgment on the Amalekites. The directions that Samuel delivered were clear. "Destroy everything. Don't bring any plunder home with you." The king went and his campaign was successful and he almost all that he was told. God told Samuel about Saul's disobedience and sent him to meet the returning king with a message. When they met, Saul was cheery; "As Samuel came close, Saul called out, "God's blessings on you! I accomplished God's plan to the letter!" Samuel said, "So what's this I'm hearing-this bleating of sheep, this mooing of cattle?" (1 Samuel 15:13-14, The Message) After offering several excuses for his actions, Saul heard this rebuke.

"Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams." (1 Samuel 15:22, NIV)

How does that speak to us? God wants to love us, to share our lives. When we fail to do what He says, our guilt creates distance from Him. We don't pray. We don't enter into worship. We don't ask Him for guidance or meditate on His goodness. Our sense of guilt makes us want to appease Him with gifts, tithes, or church attendance. In this we doubly insult His grace! First we ignore His commands, which are always in our best interest; and then we try to buy His forgiveness which is offered freely.

Are you working hard to try to pay for some sin, to ease a guilty conscience?
Are you avoiding real prayer, substituting ritual for genuine relationship with God?

Here's His promise: "If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts. My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous." (1 John 1:9-2:1, NLT) That word 'confess' is interesting in the original language of the New Testament. It is a compound word in NT Greek, homologeo- meaning, 'to say the same thing.' God desires that we agree with Him about what we have done, that we share His assessment of our actions. The result is complete forgiveness!

We are imperfect. We will fail to follow His directions completely, won't we? But, let's not fall into religiosity, trying to appease Him, attempting to buy what He offers freely to us through Christ Jesus, who is, even now, our Advocate, our Intercessor, at the Father's right hand.
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Before the throne of God above,
I have a strong, a perfect plea,
A great High Priest whose name is Love,
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in heaven He stands,
No tongue can bid me thence depart,
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair,
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there,
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died,
My sinful soul is counted free.
For God the Just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me,
To look on Him and pardon me.

Behold Him there the Risen Lamb,
My perfect spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I Am,
The King of glory and of grace,
One with Himself I cannot die.
My soul is purchased by His blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ my Savior and my God,
With Christ my Savior and my God.

Before The Throne Of God Above
Cook, Vikki / Bancroft, Charitie Lees
© 1997 PDI Worship (Admin. by The Copyright Company)
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