14 Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. 15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. 16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. 18 In your good pleasure make Zion prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem. 19 Then there will be righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings to delight you; then bulls will be offered on your altar.

When we receive forgiveness from God, it should be a very natural and proper response on our part to worship him and praise him. This is the response of the Psalmist. But he declares that God does not delight in sacrifice or what he has to offer. In another Psalm, we find that God does not need what we have to offer him since it is his already. It is like a small child asking his father for $10 and then turning around and giving him the money as a gift. It belonged to the father already. So, it is with God. Whatever we may bring to him as an offering is his already and is ours to give only because he has first given it to us.

There is one thing, however, that we can offer that is under our control (and this only because God has willed it to be this way and not because of any innate power or rights we have within ourselves). Paul explains this in Romans 12:1-2 where he tells us that we can offer ourselves. We can give God a renewed spirit. The Psalmist calls it a broken and contrite spirit. We recognize that we deserve nothing from God and we truly mourn for our sinfulness. Yet, Jesus tells us that we are blessed with comfort when we mourn. Paul says we have the peace that surpasses understanding.

When we give ourselves to God, we can know that he will work all things for our good. He will provide all we need to be sustained (he does not promise that we will live in luxury in this life). He will never allow us to be tempted in such a way that Jesus was not tempted while living on earth and with every temptation we face, he will provide a way of escape. When it seems we are beyond our ability to cope, he will provide strength. The only real issue; are we willing to submit to God and live for him?

O God, please give me a willing heart to submit to you. Create in me a pure heart and keep my will in tune with yours. Give me strength to deal with all the issues in my life and faith enough to trust you to take care of each one. Today there are some on my heart who are hurting and I ask that you please comfort, heal and strengthen them as only you can do. I pray in Jesus’ name.

May God bless each of us as we submit to the will of God today.