Do the old testament prophets have anything to say today?

I was reading my Eerdmans Handbook to the Bible the other day and came across this entry...take a minute to read it and soak it in...

----
the call to obedience
"The prophets were men raised up by God to do this this - to call the people back to God and His way.  Slackness had grown into forgetfulness.  God's holy law for life had ceased to be an effective force molding individuals and society.

Sometimes the fault was more a reversal of priorities.  The sacrifices were intended to make provision for lapses in obedience.  But there were periods in the Old Testament history when they were seen as substitutes for the life of obedience - ritual techniques for keeping God happy.

When the nation's religion was corrupted into this sort of non-moral ritualism, the prophets raised their protest.  This explains a whole series of verses in which the prophets at first seem to deny the divine authority behind the sacrifices.  Their intention is rather to recall the people from false priorities; to insist on God's primary requirement that his people should obey His commands and live out His standards."
----

my thoughts...
and people say that the scriptures are outdated, and don't have anything to say to us today..!!!!  Don't we sometimes try and replace our relationship with religion (non-moral ritualism)?  Don't we sometimes think that if we do all the "right" things that God will be happy with us?  Don't we sometimes think that if we show up on a Sunday morning that God will be happy with that?  What does the "sacrifice" look like for you?  What do you do as a "substitute" for loving obedience?

If the shoe fits..  For me...I don't ever want to go back to empty ritual.  I don't ever want to go back to going through the motions because that's what I do.  I don't ever want to go back to thinking that if I follow some set of rules that God will be happy with me.

I want to live in obedience because I love Him.  I want to do those things that make Him most happy, not because of ritual, and not because that's what I do, but rather because that's who I am.  As I am transformed into the likeness of my rescuer, my motivation is totally different.  I can't just go through the motions any longer...it's empty, it's meaningless, it doesn't make God happy....it's worthless.  I am obedient because He consumes me.  Though sometimes I try to replace him with religion, it won't work....ever.  There is nothing better than Jesus...nothing!

As a side note, remember the greatest command?  Jesus was pretty clear... " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'  This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."  To obey His commands and live by His standards, we are to Love what He loves...