The Life of Willing Sacrifice

 Rest assured that when you commit to a Bible Study - you will be challenged, tempted in the area of your study.  Why in the world did I choose to study sacrifice?!  I most surely have been allowed the opportunity to sacrifice during the last 10 days - although it would probably be more acurately defined as trivial disappointment, not real sacrifice.  In any event, I would love to tell you that I was faithful in at least the smallest of these trials.  And that I applied all that I have been learning in my Bible study. And that I handled the necessary sacrifice with ease and grace.  However . . . I'm very sorry to write that I failed this challenge miserably!!

It first started when I created this Bible Study page for my website and declared that I was going to study the life of sacrifice.  What was I thinking?!!  That very evening I had to give up "my" time.  I had been planning on going to this Christian parenting conference for weeks.  I had looked forward to it, planned for it,  and set that time aside for me on the calendar.  But logistically, at the last minute, I just couldn't make it all come together.  I was really needed elsewhere and something had to go.  So the parenting conference was not to be for me.  I actually did shed a few tears and I'm afraid I even pouted for a time.  But I tried to move on to the next thing.

I busied myself getting ready for company that was coming for the weekend.  I wanted to get things done - the laundry room and the linen closet needed to be cleaned out, the bathroom remodels needed to be completed, and of course the hard wood floors should be polished and the kitchen and mudroom tile would need to be spotless.  That was basically the top of a long list.  Well . . . the children had several outside commitments so I was called away from the house more than normal.  Mitchel came down with a sinus infection - the remodels were his jobs.  I just don't know how to re-tile a bathroom.  Besides, I'm supposed to be cleaning out laundry rooms and linen closets.  On top of that it rained 2 inches and snowed 4 more.  That moisture would have been lovely (and I did thank God for that) but we live at the end of a mile and a half of dirt road on a now VERY muddy farm.  So much for polished wood and spotless tile.  Somewhere along the way I began to realize that I was going to have to sacrifice my expectations.  One caboose (that's me) cannot push a large train (that's the children and everything else) up hill when all the cars have their breaks on and the engine (that's DaddyBoy) is out of commission.  Sigh.  The laundry did not get finished.  The linen closet did not get organized.  There was not 1 floor in the whole house that sparkled.  And my mudroom was literally that - a MUD room.  I nearly worked everyone in this house to an absolute exhaustion trying to accomplish my goals.  I pushed and prodded.  I might have even yelled . . . okay I did yell . . . more than once.  I just wanted things to be "perfect".  Auuugggghhhhh.  So my friends came - Mitchel (now feeling better) ran the prairie ferry and brought them in over the muddy roads from the nearest pavement and I was blessed with a wonderful fellowship with friends who were willing to overlook all that didn't get done. 

Finally, I had this tamale making class that I really wanted to go to.  It was just for fun - but I was going to meet my friends and we were going to learn to make tamales together.  It was going to be great.  It was on a Saturday so Mitchel could watch the kids.  Oh yea!  This was going to be great.  I got up early to get my work done . . . but the sewing project took twice as long as I thought, the milk needed to be made into yogurt, the underside of the pickup needed to be washed before I could drive it to town (there was so much mud - it vibrated as you drove down the hightway), and, wait, I have 10 children - the oldest was sick, the 2nd is milking the cow, the 3rd is doing her best to manage the other 7, but all have needs to be met, wants to be expressed, boo-boos to be kissed, and books that they want read all before I'm supposed to leave at 8:30am.  At 9:30 I realize that I am not going to make it to the tamale class.  Sigh (again).  I went to my room, closed the door, and cried. 

It sounds silly now to be so upset, but as I was sitting there, filled with self-pity, a thought straight from God spoke in my mind.  "You wanted to study sacrifice . . . You have been provided the opportunity to not only study it.  But to live it."

We actually each have that opportunity every day.  All of us are called to give up ourselves - our time, our expectations, and our pleasures - for the benefit of someone else.  But these were small things and I failed.  What could I have done differently?  How can the Bible help me to better live this life of sacrifice?

"I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual act of worship."  Romans 12:1

There are 3 specific things that I find in this verse that can help me. 

1.  Recognize that I cannot do it apart from God.

Paul is urging the Romans to sacrifice "by the mercies of God."  It is something that is outside our human ability to continually sacrifice our needs, wants, and desires for others and ultimately for Him.  Ephesians 2:10 says,

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

Only through God can we do the good works that He has planned for us.  We must allow Him to work in us.

2.  Release the sacrifice as a gift to God.

The words are  "to present" yourself as a sacrifice to God.  When you give a specially chosen gift to someone, you don't cry about giving up what you are giving to them.  You GIVE it to them - joyfully, willingly, with love, and devotion.  2 Corinthians 9:7 says,

"Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver."

Our sacrifices are like gifts to God.  Little presents that are pleasing to Him.  2 Corinthians goes on to say in verse 8,

"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed."

An affirmation of what we learned above - we cannot do it apart from Him.  But when we choose to sacrifice willingly and cheerfully as our gift to God, He is faithful to pour His grace upon us so that we are able to complete the good deed.

3.  Realize that sacrifice is worship.

The last phrase of our verse in Romans says that this sacrifice is "our spiritual service of worship."  It is how we can honor Him in our daily life.  Hebrews 13:15-16 says,

"Through Him then, let us continually offer up sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of the lips that give thanks to His name.  And do not neglect doing good and sharing; for with such sacrifice God is pleased."

Once again we are reminded that continual sacrifice is only possible through Him.  But, when we choose to use the sacrifice that is required as an opportunity to praise God, then we worship and honor Him and He is pleased.

The sacrifices that were required of me this week were so small - nothing more than an example for me - in the big picture.  Great sacrifice is required of so many people - Followers of Jesus in some countries are forced to sacrifice their freedom and their lives.  Families are called to give up their children to serve our country and our God.  Missionaries are called to give up their families and even their lives.  God set the ultimate example of sacrifice when He gave His Son to this world and for this world.

Oh Father, pour Your grace upon us so that, through You, we might be sufficient for the task required of us.  Help us to be faithful in the daily small sacrifices so that we might be pleasing to You.  And help us to keep all things in perspective - in light of the cross.  Amen.