Mercy, Not Sacrifice

Devotional

“I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.” Hosea 6:6

God desires love and loyalty, not just religious performance. The word translated as mercy here is ‘hesed’ in Hebrew, a rich word that means steadfast love, faithfulness, kindness, and covenant loyalty. It is not about feelings but about how we live: keeping promises, treating others fairly, showing compassion, and walking in consistent love. God’s mercy toward us is faithful, and He calls us to reflect that same faithfulness in how we treat others.

“He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8

Sacrifices and rituals were never the problem. God Himself commanded them. The issue arises when worship becomes a substitute for obedience. When people mistreat others through the week but turn up on Sunday as though nothing happened, their worship offends rather than honours God. Isaiah confronted the same hypocrisy: “Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me.” Isaiah 1:13 In Amos, God said a similar thing: “I hate, I despise your religious festivals… But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream.” Amos 5:21–24

Hosea’s own marriage became a living message. His wife’s unfaithfulness mirrored Israel’s unfaithfulness to God. Yet Hosea remained loyal, showing the kind of covenant mercy God Himself extends to His people. It is a painful picture of divine love that refuses to give up, even when betrayed (Hosea 3:1).

Centuries later, Jesus repeated Hosea’s words to confront the religious mindset of His time. When criticised for eating with sinners, He said, “Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’” Matthew 9:13 Again, when the Pharisees condemned His disciples for plucking grain on the Sabbath, He replied, “If you had known what these words mean, you would not have condemned the innocent.” Matthew 12:7 Jesus was saying that God is more interested in compassionate hearts than in flawless rule-keeping.

True religion is not measured by how loud our songs are or how perfectly we perform rituals. It is revealed in the quiet ways we show mercy, loyalty, and justice in daily life. Worship should rise from a heart already surrendered to love, not cover up a life that lacks it.

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” James 1:27

When God says, “I want mercy, not sacrifice,” He is not rejecting worship; He is redefining it. Real worship is the overflow of a faithful, merciful life. Our songs and offerings mean nothing if they do not grow from love. God still wants the same thing He asked of Hosea’s generation, not empty religion but mercy that looks like Him.

God still looks for hearts that mirror His own. It is possible to be active in church life yet cold in spirit, to sing about grace but withhold it from others. The message of Hosea reminds us that mercy is not a soft option but the true test of love. To show mercy is to take on the character of God Himself.

Before you worship, ask: Is there someone I have judged, ignored, or treated unfairly? Is my worship an overflow of love, or a cover for disobedience? Real devotion is shown not in what we offer on the altar but in how we live after we leave it.

May we learn to worship with lives that speak louder than our songs, and hearts that move with mercy toward those around us.