For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. // Hosea 6:6

One giant cinnamon roll sat between two steaming cups of coffee. We peeled away the rich, brown swirls with our forks, swiping up extra cream cheese frosting whenever possible. Through sips of coffee and a jaunty conversation, we unrolled the sweet bread until only the best remained. The sweet, soft, perfectly cinnamony center is the best bite of every cinnamon roll and as I went to cut it in two, my husband put down his fork.

“You can have it.” I offered to share but he insisted, “It’s all yours.”

I knew he wanted it. Of course he wanted it! But more than that, he wanted me to have it. It was a sacrifice done in love. Of course the sacrifice was small, but the love behind it was not and that’s why it mattered so much.

Several times throughout Sacred Scripture, including in today’s reading from Hosea, we read that God does want our sacrifices, He wants our love. But it is important to remember that the two are not exclusive. In fact, we often sacrifice greatly for those we love. God wants our sacrifices—be they the Lenten sacrifice of something good like “no chocolate for forty days” or the following of the Lord's moral commandments like “no sex outside of marriage” or anything in between—to be done out of our great love for Him.

Today, let’s reevaluate how we show our love to the Lord and others and where our hearts are when we sacrifice for loved ones, our community, or the Lord.

[bctt tweet="He wants our love. // Bonnie Engstrom" username="blessedisshe__"]

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