How often I get distracted when I read the Bible, pray or worship.
How frequently I serve God with mixed motives – hoping he gets glory, but also hoping I get some too. As Jerry Bridges says, our best deeds are stained by sin. How then can any of our puny, flawed efforts possibly bring pleasure to God?
“You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 PE 2.5)
First of all, believers’ sacrifices are acceptable to God because they are “through Jesus Christ.” Our Mediator washes our sin-stained deeds in his blood and presents them spotless and pleasing to our Father.
Secondly, our sacrifices please God because he’s given us new hearts that love him. Though we love him imperfectly, we love him truly, and this love for God pleases him. Jerry Bridges illustrates this in The Disciplines of Grace:
My wife and I moved into a house that had an unfinished garage. Every time I went into the garage I saw the bare two-by-four studs and the black feltlike undersiding. After living for 20 years in a house with a finished garage, it was rather depressing to me. Our son came home for a visit and learning of my feelings, volunteered to install insulation and drywall in the garage.
Dan had never worked with drywall before and had to learn by doing. The finished job, though very acceptable was not quite what one would expect from a professional drywall installer. But I am more pleased than if a professional had done the work. Why? Because the job was done out of love. Dan didn’t expect to get anything in return. He wasn’t trying to earn favor or manipulate me. He just wanted to show his love. Now, every time I go into the garage I see the finished walls, but most of all, I see the love that went into them. Dan’s motive was more important to me than his performance.
When a child brings her Mommy the gift of a wilted dandelion, Mommy’s pleased, not because of the gift, but because it’s coming from her child. It’s similar with our offerings to God. He certainly doesn’t need our worship or service, yet he looks at our hearts of love for him and he’s delighted. Because of Christ’s mediation, he only sees the pure part of our love, not the impure parts.
What a wonderful God – he plants a genuine love for himself in our hearts, and then is delighted by our imperfect attempts to show that love.
photo by Tiggywinkle
