What God Delights In

"The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord:but the prayer of the upright is His delight." Proverbs 15:8

When God says something is an abomination, He means it is something that He hates; that He despises. This verse tells us that when the wicked - the lost and unregenerated - sacrifice to God or give gifts to Him, He finds it despicable. In contrast, when the upright ( the righteous and saved) seeks His face, He loves it. Why is this so?
The wicked person, by the very act of sacrificing is rebelling against God.They are attempting to gain righteousness through their own works and through their own means of getting to God. Instead of obeying His Word and repenting of their ways, they are content to continue in sin and appease their God-given consciences by offering good things to their Creator.
God however, being just and holy, is only angered by these gifts given from evil hearts and false motives. Mankind is deep in their rebellion against Him and He requires repentance. Instead He sees self-righteous, depraved humans making an effort to salve their conscience and the law "written on their hearts". Is He not right to be angry at their stubborn wickedness?
Yet against the backdrop of this arrogant sin is a refreshing sight. The upright have been made righteous through faith in Christ's work; and now commune with their Father. They are no longer at war with Him, for He has made peace with them.How? "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us"(Tit 3:5a). No, this wasn't man's feeble way of saving himself, this was God's master plan in action.
Before the dawn of time, before the first human shook his fist toward heaven, God had orchestrated a plan to redeem fallen mankind.We deserved nothing but due punishment for our rebellion and hard hearts, "but God being rich in mercy" choose to reveal His great unfailing, undeserved love toward us in the death of His own Son.
At the perfect time Christ was born and chose to submit to His Father's will through drinking the bitter cup of Calvary. Through His shed blood,death and subsequent resurrection, He purchased redemption for all those who repent and believe on His name. Now those who were once His enemies could come boldly before Him crying "Abba Father".
Why does God delight in the prayers of the upright? He does so because through the act of them calling on His name we see His plan revealed, His wisdom displayed, and His glory being shown to the world. The righteous person on their knees is reflecting the power of God to take the wayward human heart and replace it with one overflowing with love for and gratitude toward Him.
What a contrast!What a difference we see! On the one hand, fallen men turning from God and receiving just recompense for their ways - and on the other, those changed through the work of the Holy Spirit giving God the praise He deserves.