Mercy Over Sacrifice
(By Katie Armstrong)
"If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.”
— Matthew 12:7 (NIV)
“But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
— Matthew 9:13 (NIV)
God desires humbleness, submission, compassion, right action, just behavior, all stemming from an authenticity — the condition of the heart.
Without heart, all that’s left is sacrifice, and Jesus didn’t come for sacrifice — He was the sacrifice — He came for the heart.
A person who sees their own wrong, they see that they’re a sinner. If that person is you, look up and be blessed.
“For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Your heart searches for mercy, and if you accept, God is there to give you grace.
“On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
— Mark 2:17 (NIV)
“For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.”
— Hosea 6:6 (NIV)
