Confronted by God

Day # 21 March 12th – Sacrifice (giving up the things you love for the ones you love)

Relax PETA, were not talking about slaughtering goats. To many of us, the word sacrifice means a loss of something we enjoy. Sacrifice is a discipline that comes out of our need to give back to God. It is not that God needs to receive something from us, but we need to practice the art of giving over ourselves and our possessions as a sign of love. Luke 21:1-4 documents the love of a widow to give all the money she had (two small pennies) to God out of sacrifice. Sacrifice is the act of taking our life out of our hands, and putting them into God’s, it is the recognition that we give something up to gain something more. Galatians 2:20 says it all “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” The biggest sacrifice was Jesus coming down to earth and dying on the cross for our sins. Sure Jesus gave up his heavenly home, lived in poverty, and died with those nails in his hands, but his work was not a loss because out of it came redemption for all creation. Sacrifice is both giving up something for God, and for others. Sacrifice for God teaches us dependence upon him, try giving up some money to give back to God, or time, or television so that you can receive the benefit of a closer relationship with Jesus. Also we sacrifice for others, by giving money, time, our home or whatever it is to help and bless someone else. Sacrifice is putting God first, and others second, when we do that we do not lose ourselves, but we find ourselves. Intentionally give something up today for God, and give something up for someone else, and watch for what changes in your life through this act.