THE ELEVENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS – January 4: Obedience, not sacrifice

At 40 days Jesus was brought into the temple to be dedicated to the Lord, as was customary for all first male children to be. Joseph and Mary were obedient to all that the Law required. They were devoted to following God, as we see in the account of Jesus' life when we learn that he was in the temple at the age of 12 discussing with the religious leaders. And, of that trip to celebrate Passover it was stated, "as their custom was." Jesus was in Jerusalem for the appointed feasts during his growing up - but his very first visit to the temple as a human was when he was a baby. 

Jesus obediently came to earth to become the ultimate sacrifice. When people sacrifice their lives out of obedience and sacrifice their desires out of obedience, they are truly reflecting the kind of love Jesus taught. But it is the OBEDIENCE part of that equation that matters. Sacrificing after failure to be obedient - out of guilt - doesn't cut it. If we want to walk in God's will and if we want our lives to reflect him, we have to be obedient. Not easy all the time, and not possible unless we have the Holy Spirit's help in nudging us the right direction. 

1 Samuel 15:22

22 And Samuel said,

^w“Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,

as in obeying the voice of the LORD?

Behold, ^xto obey is better than sacrifice,

and to listen than the fat of rams.

Hosea 6:6

6  For ^kI desire steadfast love¹ and not sacrifice,

^lthe knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

Micah 6:6–8

What Does the Lord Require?

6  ^b“With what shall I come before the LORD,

and bow myself before ^cGod on high?

Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,

with calves a year old?

7  ^dWill the LORD be pleased with¹ thousands of rams,

with ten thousands of rivers of oil?

^eShall I give my firstborn for my transgression,

the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”

8  He has told you, O man, what is good;

and ^fwhat does the LORD require of you

but to do justice, and to love kindness,²

and to ^gwalk humbly with your God?

Matthew 9:13

13 Go and learn ⁱwhat this means: ^j‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For ^kI came not to call the righteous, ^lbut sinners.”

Matthew 12:7

7 And if you had known ^ewhat this means, ^f‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’you would not have condemned the guiltless.