True Sacrifice…In 1 Chronicles 21, King David prepares to offer God a sacri-fice of repentance. The man from whom David must purchase supplies is so eager to help that he offers everything for free. David replies, “No. I’m buying it from you, and at the full market price. I’m not going to offer God sacrifices that are no sacrifice” (v. 24, The Message).
How often we do that ourselves: forgo a latte to put a few dollars into the collection plate… read Scripture for only five min-utes a day… say we’re too busy for a service project, then spend hours watching TV — The list goes on. It’s not that we should “give ‘til it hurts”; it’s about giving ‘til it feels good! God doesn’t need our sacrifices; we do. Our faith grows when we challenge ourselves to give up something less valuable to embrace the richness of God. When we give more than we’re comfortable giving, our need for control is replaced by confidence that God holds us.
