May 2, 2009 Sacrifice
Today’s Bible Reading: 1 Chronicles 16; Psalm 106; Matthew 19
Scripture Focus:
1 Chronicles 16:1, 4 Then they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. And [David] appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord, to commemorate, to thank, and to praise the Lord God of Israel.
Observation:
There’s a principle of sacrifice in the Bible—the giving up of something to give it to God. In the Old Testament, sacrifices were tangible and intangible. Sheep, bulls, and goats were offered literally on an altar. There were also sacrifices of time, energy, and focus to commemorate, to thank, and to praise the God .
In the New Testament Jesus became our sacrifice, which sufficed once and for all. No longer do we need to sacrifice animals to cleanse ourselves from sin—Jesus did that for us, praise God! But the intangible sacrifices are still there. Sacrifices of thanksgiving and praise.
Why is it called a sacrifice to take the time to praise and thank God? Perhaps it’s because we give our time and attention and praise to God instead of being focused on ourselves.
Application:
Do I take the time to thank and praise God for the many blessings he has given me, and for the sheer delight of who he is? Not nearly enough. This passage made me realize how selfish I’ve been. I think it’s time for a little sacrifice.
Prayer:
Abba Father, I’m so grateful to you for sending your son, Jesus, as the sacrifice for my sins! Thank you. You’re awesome!
