God Is a Great Hater and a Great Lover

One of my daughters has a friend with whom she has a love-hate relationship. One week, the girl is her best friend, but the next week the girl turns into her worst enemy. My daughter does not know where she stands at any time and longs for more predictability and less stress.

Sometimes our relationship with God can feel unpredictable. We don’t know where we stand and long for more certainty and less stress. Does he love me, or does he hate me? How can we be sure of our standing with God? Proverbs 15:8–9 gives a clear and simple answer.

God Is a Great Hater of “Great” Religion (15:8–9)

Duane gives generously to the church every week, sings in the choir, and teaches Sunday school. At the last congregational meeting the pastor pointed to him as an excellent example of a church member: “Duane, your giving, your singing, and your teaching are so admirable!” he announced.

But God says, “Abominable!” How do we know that? Because the Bible tells us: “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord” (15:8). “But Duane isn’t wicked! He’s a moral man, a good man,” some might object.

That may be, but he’s not a Christian man. He gives, sings, and teaches at church, but he doesn’t believe in Christ in his heart. He is not right with God through faith in Christ. Nothing is more wicked than refusing to trust in Christ alone for salvation.

God isn’t even slightly impressed, but rather totally repulsed. God doesn’t just dislike Christless sacrifice; he abominates it. He cannot hate it any more than he does. He feels the same for people who live moral but Christless lifestyles.

God does not hate lightly or slightly but heavily and hugely.

That’s scary. How can I be sure God doesn’t hate me?

God Is a Great Lover of Small Religion (15:8–9)

Cooper goes to the same church as Duane, but he’s more of a background member. He’s ever-present but never prominent. He lacks confidence but serves where he can, usually away from the spotlight. Asthma and arthritis limit his energy, and he often feels he’s not doing enough. The pastor has never commended him, but then neither has anyone else. Why would they? Probably most people don’t know his name, never mind what he does and gives behind the scenes.

Sometimes, Cooper gets a bit down when he sees how little he can do, give, and serve. But one day he came across Proverbs 15:8 in the old KJV: “The prayer of the upright is [God’s] delight.” What an encouragement this was to him as he realized that even though his prayers were short and simple, God was absolutely delighted with them.

How could God be so pleased with what we would judge to be pathetic prayers? Because Cooper was righteous by faith in Christ and offered his prayers in the name of Christ. As Solomon said, “The prayer of the upright is acceptable to [the Lord]” (15:8).

Cooper was further encouraged by the next verse: “[The Lord] loves him who pursues righteousness” (15:9). He knew he had not arrived at holiness, but he was passionately pursuing it, and therefore the Lord loved his passion for purity. God has a big love for small believers.

Changing Our Story with God’s Story

If we believe in Jesus, we can be sure of God’s love no matter how little we do. If we do not believe in Jesus, we can be sure of God’s hate, no matter how much we do.

Summary: How can I be sure of my standing with God? Find great big love in our big Savior.

Question: Who can you encourage with these verses today?

Prayer: Holy God, I love your holy hate and your holy love. May I know your holy love and not your holy hate because I believe in Jesus.