What Pleases the Father?

The foundation of sacrifice in the Old Testament and the New is the seriousness of sin and the solution of God for it, which is sacrifice. The first sacrifice in the Bible was by God on behalf of Adam and Eve. In Genesis 3:21 it states that God provided for Adam and Eve animal skins for clothing. Innocent animals died at the hand of God to cover the shame and sin of Adam and Eve. With this sacrifice, Adam and Eve learned from God his solution for sin if they desired to stay in relationship with him. They in turn taught their sons this practice. Sacrifice pleases God because it was his will and creation. But not all sacrifice.

In Genesis 4:1-7 Cain and Abel brought their sacrifices before The Lord. Both grain and livestock sacrifices were legitimate but in 4:4-5 it says that God had regard for Abel's sacrifice but had no regard for Cain's.

 The Hebrew word for "had regard" means to gaze upon and look at something with amazement, joy, and pleasure. When that word carries a negative prefix (no regard) it means blindness. Somehow Cain knew that something was missing from his sacrifice, that God was blind to it, and even after God spoke to him about the problem, he refused to follow God's instruction (had no regard for what God said) and took matters into his own hands and we know the rest of the story.

So what was it that pleased the Father with Abel's sacrifice and was missing from Cain's? The answer is found in Hebrews 11:4-6. Abel sacrificed by faith in what God said, believing that this was something that God desired according to his instructions. Cain just sacrificed. Same activity, but totally different motive and purpose. God could see Abel's faith in his sacrifice but could not see any in Cain's. Hebrews 11:6 states it clearly, a verse many of us have in our hearts, "And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him."

This is the same thing that God is seeking to see today. Sacrifice and worship are still inseparable, but not just any sacrifice. The sacrifice that the Father is looking for is the kind that pleases him, and there is only one kind that pleases him, the sacrifice by faith in him, faith in what he has said. And he has said it all and eternally in his Son, Jesus Christ. This faith pleases him because he sees himself in it, his word in our lives, his creation in a person! Jesus Christ in you, with you, living his life through you, as you, before the Father and the watching world!

When Jesus told the woman at the well that the hour had come for true worship to be in him, in spirit and in truth, that this was what the Father was seeking, she believed him and became a true worshiper. And as a result, became obedient from her heart! Hallelujah! This is true worship.

Think on that today. More tomorrow.