Praying Through the Bible #74
TEXT: Proverbs 15:8-9: “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the upright is his delight. The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord: but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness.”
Today, we come to the book of Proverbs which is well-known for its wise and pithy sayings. Many verses in this book have been committed to memory, and some of them have entered popular culture as oft-repeated “proverbs.” This book was written by King Solomon, the man whom many refer to as the “wisest man who ever lived,” and this book is known as one of the “wisdom books” of the Bible. What does the book of wisdom have to say about the important matter of prayer?
We find the first mention of prayer in Proverbs in the 15th chapter. As he does in the entire book, Solomon does not go long on us — he keeps it short — but he does go deep. The two simple statements found in verses 8 and 9 prompt us to ask three questions about prayer which we all should want answered if we are serious about having our prayers heard and answered by God.
1. The first question we want to ask is, What is God displeased with? Verse 8 tells us that “the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord.” Now, when we think of “sacrifice”, we normally think of something good. We honor those who sacrifice for others. We also think of the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for us on the cross. However, this verse specifies the “sacrifice of the wicked.” What is the “sacrifice of the wicked”?
2. The second question we must ask is, What is God pleased with? In the second part of verse 8, we learn that “the prayer of the upright is his delight.” The prayer of the upright is something that God takes pleasure or enjoyment in. God loves to hear from a person who is upright.
3. Now that we see that God hates the sacrifice of the wicked, and we see that He delights in the prayer of the upright, we must ask the question, How can my prayers be a delight to God? Let’s look at Proverbs 15:9: “The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord: but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness.”
We will be blessed when we choose to seek after what God is pleased with in our hearts and in our conduct. God will hear our prayers and will take pleasure in seeing us come to Him each and every day. Today, dear friend, why don’t you choose to have the kind of heart that is pleasing to the Lord so that your prayers can be answered.
Gospel Light House of Prayer International 