TWO THINGS THAT THE LORD LOVES
Proverbs 15:8-9 NKJV
8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
But the prayer of the upright is His delight.
9 The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD,
But He loves him who follows righteousness.
Proverbs chapter 15 is one of my favorite chapters in the Book of Proverbs. There is so much wisdom packed into this chapter. Often, when you find a favorite psalm or favorite chapter of Proverbs, it is because there are things that speak to you and what the Lord wants for your life. Proverbs 15 talks of the importance of words, a good perspective, and being slow to anger. Obviously, these are all things that I need in my life. I am sure I am the only one needing help in these areas.
Our verses for today contrast the Lord’s perspective of the wicked or those who are in error, guilty, and in the wrong, versus the righteous, or the upright, those who are doing right. And the word abomination is a word not commonly used today. It means anything offensive to the Lord. We take wicked and abomination and use them to define extremely bad behavior. Wicked in our usage is someone who is nothing but pure evil. But the scriptures broaden the definition to someone who is in the wrong in God’s eyes. The same premise applies to abomination. We think of child abuse as an abomination, and that is correct, but again, the scriptures broaden the definition to include those things that are offensive to God.
So with the broadened perspective, we can look at what is offensive to God and what he loves and delights in. The sacrifice of the wicked implies their heart is not right, but they are giving God an offering. That does not work for Him. What God delights in is the prayer of someone who is upright. Their heart is in the right place, and God delights in their prayer.
The second thing that the Lord loves is the one who follows righteousness. This is the person who has a choice but chooses the righteous path. Living right before God does not just fall on us; we have to choose to walk, to follow the right way. We choose righteousness, and the Lord loves that. If you are thinking that God is love and loves everyone, you are correct. But just as a parent can love the wayward child who is not doing right, that same parent can love the actions of the child who is following the family rules and guidelines. We can love a person but still find their behavior offensive. God finds the way of those who are intentionally wrong offensive. He still loves that person but does not love what they are doing.
The good news in these two verses is that we can choose how we live before God. We can choose to have a heart for Him and choose to walk in His ways. This is not about perfection. When we miss it, we repent and get back on track. We don’t live in fear of God punishing us when we make mistakes or choose the wrong path. The important thing is that we do not stay on the wrong path and harbor the wrong attitude in our hearts. We adjust.
God is for us and wants the best for us. He knows the best way to live. It may not be the easiest way to live, but when was the easiest the best?
PRAYER
Lord, I love and appreciate You. Thank You for hearing my prayers and thank You for helping me walk the right paths. Your love for me gives me confidence.