I remember when my children were small and they would buy (or make) me a Father’s Day present. They were always excited to watch me open it to see if I liked it. And no matter what it was, I always liked it. Do you know why? Because it was from them.
I think our Heavenly Father responds to the gifts from His children in much the same way. It is not the gift, it is the giver of the gift that He loves. Our gifts please our Heavenly Father.
Is God pleased with your life? David tells us in Psalm 51:16 that God does ‘not delight in sacrifice… (or) take pleasure in burnt offerings.’ Even though these were commanded by God, it was not the sacrifices that delighted God or gave Him pleasure. But according to verse 17, ‘the sacrifices of God (the things He really does want) are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart.’ In order to please God our heart must be right, then the gift will give God pleasure. that’s why Psalm 51:19 goes on to say that once our hearts are right ‘then there will be righteous sacrifices, while burnt offerings to delight you…’
So I encourage you, in preparation of Father’s Day, to examine your heart. Confess your sins to God and be brutally honest with yourself and Him. Refuse to accept sin as being normal and acceptable. Don’t refuse to offer Him your service and gifts as pleasing to Him. Just as it is improper to serve God if our heart is not right, it is not right to have a heart that is right but refuse to serve Him. Remember, He is King and deserves all our praise.
England was once ruled by a Danish king named Canute. King Canute tired of hearing his countrymen flatter him with extravagant praises of his greatness, power and invincibility. So he ordered his chair to be set down on the seashore, where he commanded the waves not to come in and wet him. No matter how forcefully he ordered the tide not to come in, however, his order was not obeyed. Soon the waves lapped around his chair. Legend tell us that from that time on, he never wore his crown again, but hung it on a statue of the crucified Christ. This king understood his kingship to be a gift to Jesus. And he understood that his gift was only acceptable if his heart was humble.
So also, it’s only when our hearts are right that our gifts become acceptable to God. No matter what gift we might give to God – if our hearts are right – then we will give God pleasure and delight. And God will smile.
This Father’s Day I hope your Heavenly Father is pleased with your life!