Hosea 6:6: “For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, / And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.”

October 29th, 2021 by Pastor Ed in devotional

The words, “I desire mercy and not sacrifice,” sound familiar to many because Jesus quoted them to the Pharisees 600 years later in Matthew 9:13, adding, “For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” He said this in answer to a question they had asked His disciples about Him sharing meals with sinners. Of course the Pharisees were insulted by Jesus’ answer because they were supposedly already experts in what the Law and the Prophets said. Even though they were teachers, they had never learned the deeper meaning of this passage about the love of God. Jesus was telling them that undivided hearts were far more pleasing to God than any amount of outward religious traditions and ceremonies.

God desires mercy (love) much more than sacrifice. He wants relationship more than ritual, love more than a robotic keeping of the law. When He said that He wanted people to have “the knowledge of God,” He was saying that He personally seeks intimacy with His people. Jesus made it a habit to look past the outcast status of a tax collector or a prostitute, to see instead what they could become. God still looks past our sin and imperfection today to what we will be, when we are conformed to His image by the power of His love.

There is an ancient story about Alexander the Great that speaks of mercy and love. One day a beggar by the roadside asked for alms from the emperor. When Alexander threw the man several gold coins, one of his generals was astonished and said, “Your highness, copper coins would adequately meet a beggar’s need. Why give him gold?” Alexander responded in royal fashion, “Copper coins would meet the beggar’s need, but gold coins fit Alexander’s mercy and generosity.”

“LORD, we are so grateful for Your mercy and love toward us. Help us to give the same to others we meet today.”