sacrifice.
I’ve heard it said that stories in the Bible can touch you in different ways depending on where you are in life’s journey. Last night, as I read through 1 Chronicles, I was struck by a passage that I had never before taken the time to really stop and think about. In the story, David has sinned before God. An angel of the Lord orders Gad to tell David to go and build an altar to God on Araunah the Jebusite’s threshing floor. When David arrives, Araunah offers to give oxen for the burnt offering and wheat for the grain offering. The part that struck me was what David said in response to this. 1 Chronicles 21:24 says, “No, I insist on paying full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing.” For me, life in the U.S. is more often than not a life of convenience. Even when I give of my money and time, I do so in a way that is planned. I make sure the comforts of my life won’t be compromised by the few hours I give up or the few dollars I give in. After making sure my life will continue in the luxury I have come to expect, I allow myself to feel good about the “sacrifice” I have made. But is this even sacrifice? David’s response says that he would never even consider giving a sacrifice to God if it costs him nothing. What a huge lesson. What a slap in the face. Living in such a way that God is praised means living a life that costs you the comforts of apathy. Being in Honduras for 7 weeks has taught me that what I gave up to be here has truly been a small price. Furthermore, I have been repaid over and over again through the smiles and hugs of the kids I meet. Through the cute little way that they cannot say my name but persevere in their efforts to do so. In the love of Christ that pours out of so many poor Honduran men and women who are rich because of their zeal for the Lord. My presence here has truly been a blessing of God in more ways than one. Most recently, He has given me a taste of what He longs to give to those who try to give to Him. How much more does he desire to give me if only I will sacrifice everything and make my life a praise to Him?
—Courtney
