Reason for Action

Being human, we can tend to get things in the wrong perspective. Since we are not God, we can’t really think like Him, but yet we can certainly try to properly respond to Him and what He has done, what He continues to do, and what He will do someday. The big picture, that’s my point to keep in mind.



Psalm 50 today portrays God’s displeasure in us having the wrong perspective. For Israel here, they were going about their sacrifices and rituals, but they were doing so in order to try to appease God, to keep Him “happy”, so to speak. In simplest terms, they were treating Him just like others treated their pagan gods. Some actually felt as if they were feeding God when they brought their sacrifices. In short, they understood the fear of God to mean that they should be worried about God’s anger primarily, rather than love and respect Him for who He is.

The psalmist puts it like this:

“I do not reprove you for your sacrifices, and your burnt offerings are continually before Me.” (v. 8)
“Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High.” (v. 14)

The verses that lie between point out the disparity between actions and attitude, and how at times they do not match. I know children who are very obedient, and yet are terribly afraid of their parents should they misbehave. They can be extremely afraid of disappointing their parents’ expectations, and focus on doing the right thing for the right reason. The action turns out to be a reaction from a fear of not doing right. Opposed to this is doing right, showing the purpose of a good heart of gratitude and thanksgiving, and having the satisfaction of doing something well with the right motives. Children who obey simply because they are afraid of parents will ultimately connive and yield to the flesh, if they do not properly associated good behavior with a heart for God. It happened to Israel, and it can happen to us as well.

I hope that difference makes sense. To do something (or not do something) just so someone else does not get angry is much different that doing (or not doing) that is actually a display of a good heart.

That is God’s point here. We need to be doing the spiritual “things”. We need to be doing them because of our endearment and thankfulness toward Him. God can certainly be pleased by our actions, as well as disappointed. My goal should be to reflect His glory to the world around me, rather than simply hoping He is not angry with me.

Verse 23 explains that to be properly thankful to God honors Him.

My prayer today is for a good, solid heart check regarding all that I try to do, since I say I do it for Him. He knows my real motives.