obey

i tweeted a verse from my morning reading today...Proverbs 21:3, 'the Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just than when we offer him sacrifices.'  i've been thinking about it all day... why do we do that? why do we continually try to please him in ways other than what he clearly desires? all throughout scripture God lays out commands. and all throughout scripture people try to find ways around them.  from the Israelites and King Saul, to churches that Paul writes to in the new testament... and of course it's prevalent in our day and age as well.  it seems that we think that pleasing God means we have to do something other than what God asks.  yet all he really requires is our whole-hearted obedience.  yes, sometimes he does ask us to do or give something that feels like a sacrifice.  and when we do what he asks, we are obeying. but other times it's as though we think we know better...
in times like these, i like to refer to my experiences as a mother.   there have been times when i've asked my children to do something for me like clean their rooms for instance.