JOHN SHIRK- From Hosea 6:6.

“For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.”

The LORD is not impressed with religious activities carried out with an unfaithful heart. We might think that it’s a thoughtful gesture for a spouse to remember to give cards and gifts to their spouse on special days like holidays and birthdays. But if we learned that the same spouse was having an ongoing adulterous relationship, we would perceive the emptiness in those expressions of love.  That is because those expressions are coming from an unfaithful heart.

Singing worship songs, attending worship services, and volunteering time in church service can all be meaningful activities if they find expression from a faithful heart. But those same activities are meaningless if they come from an unfaithful heart.

What God desires from us is a loyal heart, full of faith and full of love.

Mercy and Acknowledgment of God are vital signs of a changed life in the Year of Transformation.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com