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Dear Friends:
On this fine spring day, I thought I would introduce the uplifting topic of sacrifice. I feel like you just hung up on me. Don’t give up yet. Please read on. . .
What’s the first thought that comes to mind when I say the word “sacrifice”? Many of us who know the Bible will think of all the lambs and cattle slaughtered to pay for the sins of believers in God through the entire Old Testament history. Then our minds might go immediately to the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross so that our sins could be eternally forgiven and no more livestock would have to be killed for our sakes.
I appreciate the lifeblood sacrifices given to allow me to have relationship with God and to experience forgiveness of sins. I no longer have to worry about sacrificing an animal or myself to pay for my sins. So what role does sacrifice need to play in my life? Aren’t all the big problems already solved? Besides, frankly, I like comfort. Sacrifice can be a little heavy.
Wait a minute, though. Sometimes I am willing to sacrifice the hot fudge sundae in exchange for being able to fit into last year’s jeans. At other times, I am willing to sacrifice an afternoon nap to do a workout so my cardiovascular system will be healthily functioning.
In fact, as I think about it, it seems that attaining anything really worthwhile requires sacrifice. Business success requires the sacrifice of time and freedom of schedule. Success in raising children requires sleepless nights, the wisdom of Solomon, and great financial commitment. Athletic success requires the discipline of working out and maintaining a strict regimen of diet and sleep. Spiritual success is no different. There are certain sacrifices we need to be willing to make just because we will benefit in our desire to be in closer relationship with God.
Looking at the desired goal and not at the immediacy of sacrifice, helps us deal with the sacrificial pain of the here and now. Even Jesus, as he faced the cross, was looking beyond the sacrifice He was about to make to the good and the joy that would result from His death and resurrection. The Message puts it this way, “He never lost sight of where he was headed – that exhilarating finish in and with God – he could put up with anything along the way: cross, shame, whatever.” (Hebrews 12:2). When the reward is perfect union forever with God, we, too, can put up with anything along the way, and can do so willingly.
So, here’s the test of our true willingness to give ourselves as living sacrifices to the God to Whom we belong: When we get up tomorrow morning, let’s agree together that we will say to God, “What can I sacrifice for You today, Lord?” Then joyfully give Him or do for Him whatever He asks.
What are some of the kinds of sacrifices God might ask of us these days? The Bible gives some examples:
Will
I really like having my own way. But God expects that I will give up my own will to do His will, even when I don’t want to. I Samuel 15:22 says, “To obey is better than sacrifice.” If I love Him, I will do what He wants. If I trust Him, I would be foolish to do anything else!
Praise
Hebrews 13:15 says I should “offer to God a sacrifice of praise.” Usually praising God doesn’t seem like much of a sacrifice, but it may be considered sacrificial if I go to church on Sunday morning to praise Him with other believers when it would be more to my liking to sleep in that day. Or if I choose to praise Him even when things are not going well in my life and I just don’t have really positive feelings toward God. When I do it anyway just because He deserves my praise, I am giving a sacrifice that God accepts and values.
Resources
The same Hebrews passage quoted above about praise, goes on in the next verse to say that doing good and sharing with others is a type of sacrifice, too. Are you a big tipper? I think that leaving a more-than-required tip in a restaurant is one sacrifice I can make to help the waiter or waitress who is working diligently to earn a living. At other times, I need to give to the beggar on the street or send checks to humanitarian organizations or pull out the stops when the basket comes by for the benevolent offering at my church. Or maybe I need to sacrifice my right to control the things I own: sharing my car with someone who needs a loaner for awhile, lending freely from my kitchen or my closet, or even allowing others to use and take credit for my thoughts or ideas.
Self-righteousness
I really never thought of giving up my sense of holiness as being a sacrifice until I read Psalm 51:17 where David tells us that the “sacrifices of God are a broken spirit.” In context, he was talking about our need to be heartbroken about our sins. If I am self righteous, I don’t see a need to confess and my sin is a barrier between me and God. If I give up my self-righteousness and acknowledge my sinfulness, I become broken by it, and that brokenness is a sacrifice God can do something with.
Body
Jesus said to His disciples, “This is my body broken for you. . .” He sacrificed His body for me. Can I do less for Him? Romans 12:1, in part says, “Offer your bodies as living sacrifices.” Under circumstances we know today, we usually don’t need to shed our blood to give ourselves as a sacrifice to Jesus, but we sacrifice our living bodies when we are willing to give up our personal comfort and to pour our physical energies into serving God or others.
Prayer
Even our prayers are sacrifices that go directly to the throne of God. Did you know that? Revelation 5:8 tells about bowls full of incense which are the prayers of God’s people. Incense was a kind of sacrifice in the Old Testament. My prayers and yours are considered offerings to God – of commitment, love, relationship and, yes, even sacrifice. Our prayers are sweet scents in the nostrils of God.
Hurt
Is there someone who has hurt you and you just can’t get past it? God invites you to offer that hurt as a sacrifice to Him and, instead of harboring bitterness, show mercy to the one who has hurt you. Hosea 6:6 says it this way, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” Mercy is even better in God’s eyes than any kind of sacrifice we can make, but in order for us to get to mercy, we sometimes have to be willing to sacrifice our hurt, our pain, and our right to get even.
Remember Jesus’ teaching (Matthew 16:25) that if we are willing to give up our lives, we will gain true life? That is probably the crux of the entire issue of sacrifice. When we stop hanging on to the things (resources, time, comfort, control, relationships) that we don’t want to let go of, we begin to receive in their place true life, God’s blessings, eternal perspective, and unexplainable joy.
Maybe our new Christian life cheer should be, “Get a life – sacrifice!” Think it will catch on?
Have a great May. And if you have sacrifice stories, send them my way. It’s always great to hear from you!
Blessings!
Bev
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