In reading this morning through 2 Samuel 24 I was reminded of God's command to David to make a sacrifice of worship to Him. He is told to set up an altar on the threshing floor of Araunah. David went up in obedience and even though Araunah offers to give Him the place, David insists, "I will not offer anything that costs me nothing." This heart attitude of worship and obedience should infect us today as we seek to give ourselves wholly to God. We are not asked to sacrifice our sons as Abraham was brought to a place of willingness to sacrifice Isaac. We are no longer asked for burnt offerings or sin offerings. The price has been paid by the blood of the Lamb.
Now our Lord asks us to give ourselves, all that we are, a living sacrifice of life in obedience, and a sacrifice of praise with lips that acknowledge His name. "I appeal to you therefore brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship."(Rom. 12:1) "Through Him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge His name." (Hebrews 13:15)
For all of us, even as with David, our heart attitude should be, "I will not offer anything that costs me nothing." It is interesting that in the Romans passage it goes on to talk about "not being conformed to this world's way of thinking". In other words don't get caught up in the things of this world, forgetting what the Lord requires. That would be a sin of commission. And in the Hebrews passage it goes on to talk about doing good and sharing all that you have in the Lord. Not doing that would be a sin of omission.
The Message states David's statement as such: "I'm not going to offer God, my God, sacrifices that are no sacrifice." What is your sacrifice of worship? Is it really a sacrifice? mjm
