The Sacrifice God wants

This write up is the answer to a question that i placed in a whatsapp group that i am part of.

In the group someone asked why God accepted Abel's sacrifice and rejected that of Cain.

Everyone picked up the question and shared their view. I read the different arguements and as much as i didnt want to be part of the discussion, after seeing how many where just speaking out of a personal opinion instead of going by the spirit and the word of God, i felt compelled to share what i believe we are to learn from the Cain and Abel situation.

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

Before you give God anything, set your heart to know what God really wants from you. We have that one thing which is the highest in our life. To one person their child is that one thing that will cost them the most if they were to give it away. It was a big deal for God to ask Abraham for Isaac. Yes to God was a great act of obedience from Abrahams part. To David all God wanted was a brokenness.

“My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise" (Psalm 51:17).

In different times God will require a different thing as our sacrifice.

While you may think God wants your money as sacrifice,

All He may be asking you is to live holy.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship" (Romans 12:1).

To another person, all God may need is their sacrifice of praise and worship.

“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name" (Hebrews 13:15).

To another God want you to sacrifice to Him by helping others

“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased" (Hebrews 13:16).

These are just some few examples.

Remember that God owns everything so He does not necesary need all the things we give to Him. What God is looking for is our humble heart that seeks to give Him our best in obedience to His will and what He asks of us.

Psalm 50:7-15New King James Version (NKJV)

7 “Hear, O My people, and I will speak,

O Israel, and I will testify against you;

I am God, your God!

8 I will not rebuke you for your sacrifices

Or your burnt offerings,

Which are continually before Me.

9 I will not take a bull from your house,

Nor goats out of your folds.

10 For every beast of the forest is Mine,

And the cattle on a thousand hills.

11 I know all the birds of the mountains,

And the wild beasts of the field are Mine.

12 “If I were hungry, I would not tell you;

For the world is Mine, and all its fullness.

13 Will I eat the flesh of bulls,

Or drink the blood of goats?

14 Offer to God thanksgiving,

And pay your vows to the Most High.

15 Call upon Me in the day of trouble;

I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.”

You see hear these people were giving all kinds of sacrifice to God, but i He wanted from them was thanksgiving and the heart to fulfill their vows to God.

In given to God we must not just give what we think, but we must set our hearts toward the Spirit and find out what He wants from us. Put some thought into it. Make some effort. Give him something that cost you something.

Like David say, i will not give God a sacrifice that costs nothing.

“But the king replied to Araunah, ‘No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing"" (2 Samuel 24:24).

In answering your question,

I believe God rejected Cains offering because of His lack of reverence for God. He did not put any heart into it, he didnot enquire of His spirit to really know what God was really looking for from him. He just gave to God whatever he thought was okay. I wonder what would have happened had Cain just taken the time to seek God. May be all God wanted Cain to do that day was to worship.

Some of us are like cain.

We give God a sacrifice that costs us nothing. We at times give not our first but our left overs. Even in giving offering in church many come to church with a premeditated amount of money to give long before the Spirit speaks to them, or places the amount upon their heart. May be God wants you to give 50 euros and not your premeditated 5 euros that costs you nothing. We serve God through the familiar rather than waking up each and enquire of Him. Yesterday sacrifice may not be what He wants from us today. Yesterday instructions may not be for today, so we must wake up daily seeking for ways to please Him by obeying what He says, but how would we know what He wants from us if we are far from and Him not take time to daily ask for fresh direction. His mercies are fresh each morning, so are His instructions. So we must be ready for new durections daily. Hope this makes sense. Bless you all.