Wednesday; February 26

This time of year there is a lot of talk about sacrificing something for religious purposes.  For some, this discussion represents a year-long willingness to give up a certain behavior to be pleasing to God while, for others, it is a seasonal choice that is made to reinforce a commitment to their religious principles.  Either way, there is a belief that service to God does not come without a willingness to pay a price or make an investment to seek His approval.  In essence, we are willing to give up something we like (or sacrifice) in an appeal to God’s good graces.
While individual sacrifice can be a positive rite of human religion, we must be cautious not to believe that this type of offering is enough to impress God.  Sure, giving up something we enjoy can help us reinforce our religious commitment, but it pales in comparison to what God and His Son were willing to give up to save us.  God separated Himself from our Lord and watched Him be put to death to appease sin.  Jesus was willing to come down out of heaven and be abused by humans to demonstrate His love for us.  When we put it in those terms, nothing that we propose to give up can match what has been done for us.  In fact, if we are wanting to truly discuss sacrificing for the cause of Christ, there is only one thing that could even remotely come close – a willingness to give all we have through dying to ourselves and living for Him.  While even this can’t match what has been done for us, it gives us an insight into the price that was paid for restore us to God.
When Jesus discussed sacrifice with His earliest disciples He noted, “... he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.  He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:38-39).  Just how willing are we to leave our lives in an effort to follow Him?
Think About It!

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