Proverbs 15:8 – The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him.
We know that sin separates us from God. No one who has sinned can enter His presence because He is holy and just. It is so bad that He set forth ways for His people to be cleansed and made pure – sacrifices. When we sin, He hides His face from us (Isaiah 59:2). The Apostle John even went on to say that those who purposely do what is sinful are of the devil (1 John 3:8).
In today’s verse we see a comparison between the sacrifices of the wicked and the prayers of the upright. It appears to be different subjects, not a true comparison (like apples to oranges), but they really are the same. Sacrifices are our requests to God for forgiveness of our sins. They are a type of prayer where we come before Him seeking redemption.
Unfortunately, the Israelites had gotten to a point where their sacrifices were simply routine rituals. Their hearts were not right. Their lives bore no fruit. He refused to listen any more (Isaiah 1:13-15). He saw these sacrifices as detestable, or as the NKJV puts it, abominations.
In the New Testament we see many verses that remind us to come before God with a clean heart and pure motives. We see examples of how sin could hinder our prayer lives. And we can see just as many verses that speak of the prayers of the righteous. In James 1:5 we see that there is power in the prayer of a righteous person.
How is your heart posture? Are you approaching the throne with a pure heart? Or is sin clouding your prayers? Confess your sins, ask for forgiveness, and change your behaviors so that He will hear your prayers and find them pleasing.
Be the first to comment