Hosea 6:6 For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,
    the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

Many English translations say “mercy” here, following the Septuagint, but the ESV (quoted here) and the Japanese go with “love.” This passage as a whole is very familiar, with verse 2 being a prophecy of Jesus’ resurrection, and verse 3 having been very well set to music in Japanese. However, it is this verse that resonates at this moment, with a theme that is repeated several times throughout the Bible. It cannot be said too strongly that God wants our hearts, not our religious formulas. It is certainly true that, as James stresses, if our hearts are right before God then our actions will line up as well, but we are entirely prone to focus on externals, instead of on what really matters. This is true in virtually every area of life. Even in the marital relationship, if the physical is everything, then the marriage falls apart very quickly. That’s the biggest lie of pornography, focusing entirely on the physical. Extending that, there are religions that are essentially pornographic, because they focus entirely on forms and obligations, rather than on the true love that God says here that He delights in. I’m reminded of a picture I saw some years ago, of a beautiful woman in a sexy pose. The caption said, “You can be sure somebody’s already tired of her.” That’s what happens when we focus on externals. The reverse of that are the multiple stories of people who had disfiguring accidents and the like, but their spouse was all the more dedicated to them. If we follow God just for the nice things He does for us, that is a sham. He desires our obedience that comes from genuine love. It is no accident that Paul conflated the relationship of husband and wife with that of Christ and the Church in Ephesians 5. We need to love God even if He never does another single thing for us. That won’t happen, but I think the point is clear.

I had the advantage of growing up watching parents who truly loved God and truly loved each other. That image was so attractive that I got married at 20, and have been happily married for over 55 years now. My relationship with God didn’t get straightened out until a few years after that, but the concept of loving God was integral to my life from at least the time I was five. The song, All You Need is Love, is actually true, but it requires a much deeper definition of love than we are used to. I could hardly be more grateful that God has been teaching me what love really is, all my life.

Father, thank You for Your incredible grace to me. By definition, grace isn’t something we earn or deserve. Help me respond to Your love and grace more and more fully, more and more accurately, so that my love for You may be pleasing to You indeed, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!