“Is a sacrifice really a sacrifice if it costs you nothing?”
I can distinctly remember when I started to plan for a life-changing event. I wanted it to be at the prime time of life for my kids. I wanted it to be at the prime time of the year. What was this life-changing event? Disney World. Anyone who has attempted to plan a trip to Disney World knows the struggle of this decision. First of all, I almost choked when I checked into prices. So then, even more, I wanted this to be at the perfect time for my kids. I didn’t want them too young and not remember anything, but I didn’t want them to miss the magical ages where the princesses and characters are still alive. With all of these decisions in mind, I decided to start saving almost two years in advance for a Christmas Disney trip. I calculated how much money we needed to set aside to pay for our trip. I soon began sacrificing monthly to make this trip, which would not happen for almost 24 more months.
I can assure you that I appreciated that trip. I mean, everyone appreciates a good, magical trip, but I knew the fullness of the sacrifices made to allow my kids to enjoy a magical vacation. My kids had a blast, but I was soaking in every moment of every experience with extreme gratitude because I knew what all it took to get there. There is some great appreciation added when you have to sacrifice to achieve something.
In 2 Samuel 24, David had sinned against God. David longed for forgiveness and was
commanded to build an altar to the Lord. David went to the threshing floor of Araunah to purchase the land to make the sacrifice.
“So David went up to do what the Lord commanded him. When Araunah saw the king
and his men coming toward him, he came and bowed before the king with his face to the ground. ‘Why have you come, my lord the king?’ Araunah asked. David replied, ‘I have come to buy your threshing floor and to build an altar to the Lord there, so that he will stop the plague.’ ‘Take it, my lord, the king, and use it as you wish.’ Araunah said to David. ‘Here are oxen for the burnt offering, and you can use the threshing boards and ox yokes for wood to build a fire on the altar. I will give it all to you, Your Majesty, and may the Lord your God accept your sacrifice.’ But the king replied to Araunah, ‘No, I insist on buying it, for I will not present burnt offerings to the Lord, my God that have cost me nothing.’ So David paid him fifty pieces of silver for the threshing floor and oxen.” 2 Samuel 24:19-24
David refused to offer a sacrifice to God that had cost him nothing. What do my sacrifices for God and faith in God cost me? Is a sacrifice really a sacrifice if it costs me nothing? Part of the shallowness of Christianity in America is that our faith has cost us nothing. We have not had to sacrifice for our faith and thus, we have become complacent in the sacrifice that Christ made for us. We see and hear about people across the world whose faith seems so much deeper and stronger. Typically, those people have sacrificed something for their faith.
Do I have any real sacrifices that I make for my King and my faith? Does spending time in the word constitute as a true sacrifice or giving up some time on a Sunday to worship? We should be willing to sacrifice more. We appreciate our faith only to the level that we sacrifice for our faith. What am I willing to sacrifice?
This blog was written by Amy Carrico: Author of Making the Moments Matter Blog
Last Updated on June 12, 2024
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