Sacrifice

Each day we make decisions. Some big, some small. But no matter what the size is, we still must make the best decisions or face consequences. What will guide YOUR decisions today?

This past weekend I had to make a decision. Our son was having a birthday party on Sunday. It was his 40th! Kind of a milestone birthday. However, it began at 11:00 - 45 minutes away. And I would be in church. I chose worship. I'm not bragging. It was a decision that came with sacrifice.

While I was listening to our pastor's sermon Sunday morning he said this: "Unless we have given our lives to God, we cannot worship." That's true. I thought of David being told to build an altar for worhip on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

22Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take whatever he wishes and offer it up. Here are oxen for the burnt offering, and here are threshing sledges and ox yokes for the wood. 23Your Majesty, Araunah d gives all this to the king.” Araunah also said to him, “May the Lord your God accept you.”

24But the king replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” - 2 Samuel 24:22-24

That last sentence has stuck with me. We go to church to worship, but do we sacrifice. Maybe we drop some money in the offering plate when it passes by. Is that sacrifice sufficient? I think it's just a representation.

David didn't want to worship unless it cost him something. Does God really need our money? No. So what does God want then?

He wants you! He wants me! He wants our hearts. He wants all of us, not just cash.

True worship, I believe, is the way we live our lives and who we live our lives for. There are lots of people making daily decisions in this world. Do those decisions honor God? Do they cost us anything? They should.

May every decision from this day forward reflect our obedience to God Whatever He requires of us, let us give it freely and willingly, no matter what the cost.

God made a sacrifice by offering His one and only Son. Not as an act of service but as an act of love, compassion and justice. He gave His Son as a sacrifice for OUR sins. Let us give God OUR lives in reply. A sacrifice for a sacrifice. And may God receive our sacrifice in the spirit in which it was given. 100%.