Sacrifice and offering you did not desire—but my ears you have opened—burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require. Psalm 40:6
Paul Young, who wrote, "The Shack," did a documentary on the story behind this book called, "Restoring The Shack." He used the phrase "arduous activity of righteousness," which I thought was quite relevant pertaining to our service to God.
Trying to fix our flaws became our goal when sin came into Adam and Eve's lives. Humans separated from God by hiding. Meanwhile, our separation would make guilt, shame, and fear our constant companion. Humans have been working ever since to rebuild God’s broken relationship with us when all along it was our broken relationship to Him.
Cain and Abel were the first ones mentioned to offer sacrifices to God; however, the Bible never says God asked for a sacrifice, and this would be the beginning of humanity's arduous activity of reaching for righteousness. We have been running, hiding, and trying to appease God ever since. Eventually, our futile attempts of trying to be perfect made us feel like God's goals were unattainable. How could we ever please the unpleasable? Humans became bitterly cynical and would ask, "Who wants a relationship like this?"
The question is, "Why did we think God wanted perfection from us?" God could see us in our pitiful attempts when, all along, we have the answer to what He didn't want in Psalms 40:6. His desire and requirement were never offerings or sacrifices. Through all the ages, in almost all forms of worship, including idol, we thought sacrifices would help to appease the angry gods.
God gave people what they wanted, the ultimate sacrifice. He gave us Himself through the Son. We witnessed on a level we have never seen before, God's great love and compassion. His sacrifice fulfilled our needs. He bore our sins because we needed Him to bare them. Through Christs' sacrifice, we would finally be worthy.
The heart of the matter is this: No matter how hard we think we need to work to attain righteousness, it's useless. God wants us to cease our "arduous activity of righteousness" because, in reality, it is only distracting us from what is essential-- a relationship with Him. If you want to please God, please Him with your contrite heart and broken spirit. Come, just as you are, and allow His love to be the activity of your heart.
God, I am done running from you. Renew my relationship as I allow your righteousness to flow through me. Through Christ, I pray, Amen.
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