Are we better than an ox?

A question hit me while reading my scheduled passages on my “through the bible in a year” plan… am I  better than an ox?

Consider this for a moment:

And it will please the LORD better than an ox
Or a young bull with horns and hoofs. – Ps 69:31

David has just spent quite a bit of time asking God for help in dealing with adversity and afflictions, and ended with a promise to praise God and thank him for His salvation.

That got me thinking: do I live in a manner that is more pleasing than an Ox? An ox or a bull was used in sacrifice.  They were used to atone for sins, and they were also used in an offering of thanks.  Now that Jesus has come, we don’t need to sacrifice oxen or bulls; we repent, confess, and ask forgiveness.  We are washed clean by the blood of Christ, and through his atoning sacrifice, we can become presentable to God, clothed in his righteousness.  We also express our corporate thanks during worship on Sundays.

All good and well, but our spontaneous actions, the ones we do on our own out of our personal love and appreciation of God, are more pleasing to Him.

The thought that I, a broken, insignificant human here on this earth, can do anything that is pleasing to God is quite incredible!  Let those who seek the lord be glad, and let their hearts be revived, David continued in his psalm.  Pursuing God brings us joy, and we can do that with praise and thanksgiving and give God pleasure in the process – how awesome is that!?

The question I’m left pondering by all of that is this: why don’t I do it more?