Skip to main content

The Meaning of Sacrifice


   Sacrifice.  What does it mean?  

   Because of our fallen nature, the natural tendency is to do things that feel good.  That is what self is; fulfilling our desires.  
   Sacrifice is different.  When we don’t fulfill one of our selfish desires, we call it a sacrifice.  The autopilot of carnal man is to fulfill selfish desires, so when we make a sacrifice, it hurts.  
   But wait a minute.  In Romans 12:1, God calls us to be a “living sacrifice”.  How could God require us to do that?  Surely, a loving God would not require that of us.  But, perhaps, there is love in it.  
   First, this question: did God make any sacrifices?  Yes.  When Adam fell, God decided to carry out His plan to send His only Son, Jesus, to this world to die for us.  He did it at a huge risk.  If Jesus had failed in one point, everything would have been lost.  Was this an easy decision?  Not at all.  But He did make that decision.  Hebrews 12:2 says, “Looking unto Jesus… Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of God.”  
   Did you catch that?  Jesus chose to sacrifice, because of the joy that was set before Him - the joy of seeing fallen men redeemed and brought to live with Him in heaven.  For Him, though sacrifice was hard, it was a joy!  Why?  Love.
   Love.  A small word with enough packed in to fill the depths of the sea with books.  Except its full extent cannot even be put into words.  Love is powerful.  It is perhaps one of the most powerful things in the universe.  God sacrificed, because He loved (See John 3:16).  And because of that sacrifice, He has the joy of redeeming souls.
   But what about us?  Why should we make sacrifices?  In Deuteronomy 5:29, the LORD said, “O that there were such an heart in them that they would fear Me, and keep all My commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children forever!”
   Did you catch that?  God meant it so deeply, that the Bible uses an exclamation mark!  My friends, God is love, and all His commands are because of love. The LORD has infinite wisdom, and He knows exactly what is best for you and me.  
   Our natural tendency is to sin, and “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).  He does not want you to die! This is why He calls us to make sacrifices.  He wants us to live. “In His favor is life” (Psalm 30:5). He never asks us to do something that is not for our good.  When He asks us to give something up, that thing is always something that would hurt us if we didn’t let go of it.  So, when He calls us to be a living sacrifice, it is out of love and care for our personal good.
   Because of this, we can have joy in sacrifice.  Though it be difficult, though it hurts for a little while or a long time, we can gladly do it, because we are in the care of a loving, awesome God.  
Sacrifice is synonymous with joy; surrender is synonymous with victory.  Whenever you are called by God to make a sacrifice, remember: God is asking you to do it, why? Because He loves you.  

   Keep trusting in Jesus!
   ~Lilienne Stafford

Comments

Post a Comment

Please keep your comments/questions uplifting, without the use of any slang or swear words.

Popular posts from this blog

Who Holds the Reins?

A horse gallops wildly through the deep dark woods. On its back rides a terrified girl, her small, weak hands clinging to the reins draped about her horses neck. Her dress is torn and dirty and her unraveled braids fly out behind her in a tangled and wind tossed mess. The trail, full of potholes, rocks and fallen logs, snakes its way through an ominously dark and dreary forest. Dark, sinister trees threaten to grab her and pull her off of her horse. At every bump in the trail, the girl bounces, nearly losing her grip. Her knuckles whiten as she tightens her grip on the reins. She looks down at the blur of rocks and logs racing beneath her and imagines with terror what would happen if she lost her grip. Behind her sits a Man, His face a picture of tender kindness and pity. He longs to help the girl who clings so desperately to the horses reins. The girl’s eyes, full of fear and blinded by tears, look imploringly at the One riding behind her. “Little girl,” He says, His eyes s...
Post a Comment
Read more

On Thin Ice

It was a beautiful spring day. The sun shone brightly, making paths of light through the thick branches of tall pine trees. Little birds flitted through the branches and chirped merry songs.     Nearby, a boy stepped onto some melting ice. He nervously moved his feet, noticing little pools of water forming at every step. His eyes flashed and his mouth curved into a confident grin as he neared the center of the ice. He turned around and looked back at his friends who were watching him.    “Look at me!” He yelled and jumped on the ice. His friends gasped and told him to stop jumping.    “You might fall through!” they cried. But he only shrugged it off and laughed and began to jump some more, his feet pounded into the weakening ice. He didn’t notice the crack that had started to form and that was gradually getting larger with every jump. Then suddenly, without warning, he heard the ice splinter and felt freezing cold water begin engulf him. His friend...
Post a Comment
Read more

Transformation

     A man walks down a beach, searching. His feet sink into the sand and waves lap at them with every step. He stops and stoops down to pick up a stone. A smile plays on the corners of his lips as he holds it in his hand. To the ordinary person, it’s a rough and beach-worn stone; chipped and full of imperfections. But as this man gazes at the stone, he sees past those chips and scratches, past its dull appearance, and sees in it a beautiful gem, full of possibilities      He slips the stone in his pocket, and takes it home to polish it. First he puts it in a tumbler with a bunch of other stones. As it is tumbles, its many imperfections are chipped away. When the man finally takes it out of the tumbler, he holds in his hand a beautiful gem, no longer the dull stone it once was. Then he carefully covers the whole stone with a layer of polish. Once it is dry, the man picks up the stone and rubs his finger along its smooth, glossy surface. A smile of satisfa...
Post a Comment
Read more