Monday, March 26, 2007

Sacrifice


Romans 12:1 says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.

We are called to sacrifice ourselves for God. But what does that mean? Obviously, it doesn't mean to lay down on a stone table and give our lives for God. But there is a call from God to us to find ways to give of ourselves freely and fully.
Especially here in the United States, most people do not know what it means to sacrifice. We have everything we could want and need; AND USUALLY MORE! Actually, the people who show sacrifice the best are mothers. Most mothers, after they have a child, give up their needs and wants, and focus on the needs of their child. They give up their time, their sleep, their money, and their freedom to care for their child. This is a beautiful picture of sacrifice.
So, how can we turn this picture to us, as God's children? The truth is, we should be more concerned with what we can do for God and the kingdom of God than we can do for ourselves. As the Bible tells us in Matthew 6:33- "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." We don't need to worry about our own lives. When we give ourselves to God, God will take care of us. We need to give generously of our time, our money, our energy, and our resources to God's work. Could you imagine what kind of work we could do if people sacrificed in this way?
So why is it so hard to give? The fundamental reason is because of sin and selfishness. We are very selfish people. We are more concerned with what we can gain and what we can possess. Consequently, we struggle to give of ourselves in a way that we could call "sacrifice." So my challenge to you is this; FIND WAYS THAT YOU CAN SACRIFICE FOR GOD. What could you do that would be a sacrifice for you, but would benefit God's kingdom? Are you willing to do it? When will you start?
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