Bothering God?

Each day we are tempted in a thousand different ways to live a life of wickedness. Each day we are told that wickedness brings pleasure. And from time to time, we are tempted... tempted to eat the forbidden fruit. How does the wise person think about this? Why should you live righteously? Is there any benefit to it? According to Proverbs 15:8, there is!

The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him.

Proverbs 15:8

There is a minor distinction in this proverb that is easy to miss. It's found in the words sacrifice and prayer. Normally prayers imply that we are asking God for something, whereas sacrifices are about us giving God something. So, in this verse the wicked man is giving God a gift and (more than likely) the upright man is coming before the Lord with some request.

Now, you might be tempted to think that God loves rich people more than poor people because they can give Him big gifts and buy his love. And if the wicked are wealthy by means of unjust gain, then you might be tempted to think that maybe God favors the wicked because they bribe Him with their wealth. But this proverb says that God hates the sacrifices of the wicked. Their gifts are funded by wicked deeds. Their worship is mere lip-service. It is insincere and backed up by a life of sin. Not only does God not appreciate that kind of worship, He detests it!

But what of the upright man? The Bible often pictures upright and righteous people as being poor. And I think that may be what is in view here. Every day this upright man comes to the Lord in prayer to ask for his daily bread. He has nothing of earthly value to give to God. When he does offer a sacrifice, it’s probably the poor man's offering of a pair of doves rather than a lamb, ox, or bull. He can’t afford that! How does God feel about his prayers? How does God feel about this man constantly asking for His help? 

 

Sometimes people think that if they pray too much it will "bother" God. So, they pray less and ask God for His help less, thinking that somehow this is pleasing to Him. But this proverb contradicts that thinking. It says that God is pleased with the prayers of the upright man. God is pleased when His children bring their needs to Him, because this is a form of worship. God would rather have an upright man or woman cry out to Him for help, than have a wicked person give Him a million dollars.

So, understand that it is the condition of your life and your heart that makes your worship pleasing or detestable to God. It isn't how much money you give or what you have to offer. And understand that if you are truly seeking the Lord, then you should never feel like you are "bothering" Him when you come to Him with your needs in prayer. It is actually pleasing to the Lord, when the upright person prayer to Him.