Sacrifice
Romans 12:
1-2
Since Jesus died for me there should be no sacrifice too great for my life. Reality has it that we know nothing about the word sacrifice, let alone live it. As I read Hebrews 11:32-40 and about Stephen, Paul and scores of others I hang my head in embarrassment that I have not broached the subject in my Christian service. It is God's will that His children sacrifice.
The real question is, how do we make this immediately applicable to our everyday circumstance? I feel that our sacrifice needs to be a living sacrifice. At this point God has not called me to die for Him but to live for Him. I am to be completely yielded, wholehearted, no-holds barred, unequivocal, irrevocable to Jesus and His Kingdom. This commitment is not to be that of in terms of geography nor vocation. Parking cars, writing, sports, whatever we are doing we are to be living sacrifices. We are to abandon the attachments of this world and recklessly give our lives to Jesus' beck and call. This cross of sacrifice is not a terrible end to an otherwise god-fearing and happy life, but it meets us at the beginning of our intimacy with Jesus. When Christ calls us he bids us to come and die.(Gal.2:2, Rom.6)This sacrifice is not temporary or a one time event. It is to be lasting. It is an ongoing process, a long obedience in the same direction. Our generation is not accustomed to finishing things. Christians need to finish well. Many have diverted from the path of faith when the least amount of difficulty arises. Men like Moses, Job, Joseph, Paul and others are tremendous examples of finishing well. We need to regard disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value that treasure. (Heb.11:26)
Lastly, our sacrifice needs to be logical. This kind of sacrifice s not mechanical, automatic or gradual. As a child we learned "O be careful little feet where you go (hands what you do, eyes what you see, etc). For the father up above is looking down in love, so be careful little feet where you go." The little song stops short of the most telling truth for the believer. The issue is not simply that we have a Father who is watching, but we have actually been united with Christ. Therefore our feet will walk in His paths, our lips will speak the Truth, our hands will lift up those who have fallen. There is no task too small or too large. (Luke 16:10)
Sacrifice is a priority for the Christian. God show me what this means in my life.
