This past Sunday our Worship & Outreach Pastor, Rowland Smith, taught on the topic of worship (I know, hard to believe). One of his primary points in the sermon was that true worship requires sacrifice. He challenged us to study the topics of worship and sacrifice in Scripture…so that’s what I did…and I was surprised by the first thing God showed me.
I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices.
I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.
Hosea 6:6, NLT
Now, at first it might appear that this passage is contrary to Rowland’s message that worship requires sacrifice. But that’s not the case. God is using a little hyperbole here to get our attention. God had commanded His people to offer sacrifices and He isn’t changing the rules here.
So what is God saying? He is saying that he requires MORE than just rote sacrifice…He wants more than the action of sacrifice…more than checking the box…He wants more than just us following the letter of the law. What does He want from us? He wants US. He spells it out in two simple phrases.
God wants us to…
…show love
…know Him
This might look and sound easier, but I don’t think that’s really the case here. Offering sacrifices had turned “easy” for God’s people, but it was supposed to cost them something (hence the word “sacrifice”). And here God says He wants more than sacrifice…so it would stand to reason that this is going to cost us even more.
This leads me to believe that there is more behind these concepts and words of “show love” and “know Him” than meets the eye. So over the next couple of days I’m going to break it down…study them…and share the results here. If you have, or get, and keen insights share those…we are all in this together! 
[...] In case you missed it, you can read Part 1 of this little “series” here. [...]
[...] Read Part 1 Here Read Part 2 Here [...]
[...] are very much like Hosea 6:6, which I have blogged about before. This question about what God really desires is intriguing to me. Even in the Old Testament God [...]