Prayer Glorifies God More than Sacrifice

“Hear, O My people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testify against you; I [am] God, your God! I will not rebuke you for your sacrifices Or your burnt offerings, [Which are] continually before Me. I will not take a bull from your house, [Nor] goats out of your folds. For every beast of the forest [is] Mine, [And] the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the mountains, And the wild beasts of the field [are] Mine. "If I were hungry, I would not tell you; For the world [is] Mine, and all its fullness. Will I eat the flesh of bulls, Or drink the blood of goats? Offer to God thanksgiving, And pay your vows to the Most High. Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.” (Psalms 50:7-15 NKJV)
Demonstrated by the Fact that God was not pleased with the continual sacrifices of Israel
Israel sacrificed more animals than we can imagine over the years. Tens of thousands of animals were slain during the Passover. However, God was not pleased with the blood of these animals because He does not want sacrifice detached from worship.
Demonstrated by the Fact that God Needs Nothing
God declares that every beast of the forest is His. All the wild beast are His, and He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. If He were hungry, He would not tell anyone, for all the world is His and the fullness thereof.
Therefore, the sacrificial system was not to provide God with anything as if He had a need. The sacrifices were for man to remind him of his need. Man needed a Savior and the sacrifices pointed to the blood atonement of Christ.
Demonstrated by the Fact that God Tells Us what He Desires
Thanksgiving
God wants us to be thankful. Think about it. If you gave your Son for the life of another, wouldn’t you expect a little thankfulness? Humanly speaking it would outrage you if such a great gift were despised or worst ridiculed.
Vows to Be Paid to the Most High
How many times has God been lied to do you think? How we must weary Him with our duplicity. We say one thing to Him and then turn right around and do the opposite. God must be worshipped in Spirit and truth (John 4:24).
Demonstrated by the Fact that Prayer acknowledges Our Dependence upon Him
Call on Me in the day of trouble and I will deliver you. When do men call upon God? They call when they have no hope. We tend to wait until there is no hope in and of ourselves. When we have exhausted all avenues, we finally drop to our knees and cry for help.

Three Suggestions about Prayer

Prayer Should not be the Last Thing We Do
If prayer is an expression of our dependence upon God, then we should be praying every day. We are not to pray as a ritual because that is just like a sacrifice without worship; but as an expression of our love for God. If we are not able to sit and talk with our Savior then we are not living, as we should. It is likely that something has damaged our relationship. (See Ten Things that Hinder Prayer)
Prayer Should not only be about Getting
Praise should be a regular emphasis in our prayer life. We have much for which to be thankful.
Prayer Should be Used to Guide Our Lives
One of the things I’ve noticed when I am praying for something specific is my life adjust to my prayer focus. For example, if I am struggling with anger, taking it to God in prayer reminds me when I am about to get angry that I have asked God to help me. That reminder is sometimes all I need to avoid the sin of unrighteous anger.