Focus: Sweeten My Heart (Pt.2)

Text: Isa.43:24

"Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities."

Give God that sugar in your cane. He desires that sweetness your life can bring to him. He says to you, 'Use the resources of My grace to sweeten My heart. Spend your money on My noble cause. Let Me have the fat or best of your sacrifices. Worship Me with your substance. Serve Me with the blessings with which I have blessed you. Let your obedience sweeten My heart. Give Me your purest and highest love; it will indeed sweeten Me.'

The writer of Genesis records that "the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake…" (Gen.8:21). God wants to taste your sugar and smell the fragrance of your sacrifice. God says to Moses, "And thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar: it is a burnt offering unto the LORD: it is a SWEET savour, an offering made by fire unto the LORD" (Ex.29:18). Read Exodus 40:17-26 and see how step by step Moses honored the Lord and sweetened His heart, and in verse 27, we read, "And he burnt sweet incense thereon; as the LORD commanded Moses" (Ex.40:27). 

You gladden God's heart by living by His dictates and doing what He wants.

Paul writes, "For we are unto God a SWEET SAVOUR of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish" (2Cor.2:15). God takes pleasure in His new creations - a brand new humanity. The old man grieves God; the new man gladdens His heart. Paul writes again, "But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a SWEET SMELL, A SACRIFICE ACCEPTABLE, WELLPLEASING to God" (Phil.4:18). 

God is pleased by the kindness you show to others and the material and financial support you give to those committed to His work on earth - the commissioned, consecrated and committed ministers of the gospel.

It sweetens the heart of God when you take no offense in suffering for His name's sake. Concerning Peter and John, Luke writes, "And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name" (Act.5:41). Peter and John rejoiced for having suffered for the sake of Christ's name. They felt so good in themselves. They had no regrets. They felt no sorrow. As a matter of fact, suffering for the name of Jesus Christ was to them a great privilege, and God's heart was sweetened by their attitude of gratitude.

God has been the one giving to you, blessing you, fighting your battles, going ahead of you and making ways for you. God has been good and loving to you. He cherishes and protects you. He lavishes you with His love and tenderly tends you as His own sheep. He became a son of man for you to become a son of God. God has been nothing but good to you. Therefore, it is not out of order for you to give Him some sugar, to do His behest, and to sweeten His heart.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter