Tuesday, January 31st, 2023
Intrinsically, we all understand that life requires sacrifices. We all must make tradeoffs here and there to support ourselves and our families. Sometimes, we don’t sacrifice enough and our decisions made in the moment come back as consequences later. We all understand this basic economy of life. However, why does it seem harder to sacrifice to the Lord than for our loved ones or ourselves? I think the answer lies in what we consider most real in our lives. It’s not hard to see our friends, family, and selves as real and worth sacrificing for; nor is it hard to see our careers and the riches of life as worth sacrificing for. We see tangible benefits from sacrifice to these things. But because we do not physically see God each day, convincing ourselves of His reality can be a leap some never make. This is the leap that Jesus expects us to make in order to follow him. Jesus said, “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.” Sacrifice unto the Lord is inherent to following Jesus; Jesus sacrificed himself for us while we were still sinners, so sacrifice is necessary to becoming more like Jesus ourselves. In 2 Samuel 24, God sends a plague on Israel as punishment for sin but stops it short of reaching Jerusalem. King David is told to build an altar to worship the Lord for His grace in the spot that God stopped the plague, which happens to be a grain processing building of a man named Araunah. Araunah tries to give the building to David at no cost, but David replies, “No, but I will buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing.” Today, consider what in your life you sacrifice unto the Lord in service and worship of Him. Does it cost you something? It is in worshipful sacrifice that we turn from the sinful influences of the flesh towards the Spirit of God within us, bearing fruit for the Kingdom of God.
“Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.” – Matthew 10:37-39 NIV
“But 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.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them.” – 2 Samuel 24:24 NIV