Sacrifice. The Old Testament culture was based upon it as atonement for sin. Because of the Fall of Adam and Eve, humanity was imperfect and had to kill animals in order to get right with God. Having witnessed a sheep being killed in Kenya, I cannot imagine what a gruesome and bloody affair the continual slaughter of countless animals would have been like. (I’m glad I am living now and not back then!) But God in His infinite love sent Jesus to be the ultimate sacrifice for us. We no longer live in the old covenant. We are free to choose God’s love. But does that mean we no longer have to give things up?
David said that he would not offer something to God that cost him nothing. It’s one thing to give up the modern conveniences of life in America or our favorite foods when they are simply unavailable. It’s entirely different when surrender is a choice. I am learning that with the blood of Jesus, God bought our freedom in order for us to choose Him. It is not love if it is coerced. Just like everything else- joy, love, forgiveness, change- sacrifice is a choice.
Jesus tells a story of a man who found a treasure in a field and sold everything he had to buy the field in order to ascertain the treasure. Call it what you will- obsession, deceitfulness, but Jesus says the Kingdom of God is like that treasure. Are we willing to give everything we have in exchange for an eternal Kingdom of far greater worth than anything in the world?
