FROM: Banbury, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
ABOUT ME: Living the highs and lows of life in the adventurous pursuit of God Himself and of who I'm meant to be as the Bride of Christ.
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Wednesday, August 27, 2008,7:32 p.m.
GOD'S DEFINITION OF SACRIFICE
It's been interesting to note this week that as I'm back at work (I've been off for the summer - tough life) and back into a regular schedule with the discipline of reading the Word each day, the sacrifice / rejection issue has diminished somewhat. It's almost as if a renewed focus on the things of the Lord instead of things of my own life - looking at Him instead of looking at myself - has made the promises God has given fade a bit. Not fade from belief, though, so much as fade from being what only last week was a major issue and question in my mind. They have been given a different priority in my mind as I ponder the Lord Himself, and this has reduced some of their power to confuse and control my thoughts.
Now granted, that's a whole three days' worth, but so far, this is my experience this week. And quite frankly it goes with much of what the Lord has been trying to teach me (I'm glad my students aren't as thick about algebra as I am about God's lessons) - to turn my eyes, ears and thoughts to Him, and have the earthly things grow "strangely dim." I would like to say that it is completed - the lesson is learned and thus I move on, but I imagine I may gain ground and then lose a little ground here and there as I vie for victory. However, today I am seeing a definite correlation between the increase in the spiritual discipline and the decrease in the grasping of dreams. Interesting, because I was actually looking for an answer on how to deal with the struggle and solve it, when instead the struggle has - at least at the moment - simply abated.
As I was reading this morning, I chose to look up sacrifice in my tiny little concordance in the back of my Bible, and found that God defines sacrifice as these things:
Obedience (1 Samuel 15:22, Psalm 40:6)
Thanksgiving (Psalm 50:14)
Mercy (Matthew 9:13)
Holiness (Romans 12:1)
Love (Ephesians 5:2)
Praise (Hebrews 13:15)
Supplying others' needs (Philippians 4:18)
I can do these - or at least I can work at doing them. Not one of them even remotely speaks on giving up promises God has spoken. God has chosen to share with me things He has planned over my life, but He does not, at least in my short little study this morning, note anywhere that I then have to wrestle with giving up, accepting, giving up, accepting. In fact, so much focus on them at all is probably too much. I must avoid them becoming an idol in my anticipation of their goodness, but other than that, frankly, I can and must await God's timing for them. The incredible struggle I've been going through of not knowing how to believe in them without squeezing the life out of them might be less important than I thought a few days ago.
In the meantime, do I know how to obey whatever He asks of me?
Yes.
Do I know how to offer thanksgiving to the Lord?
Yes.
Do I know how to show mercy to others?
Yes.
Do I know how to pursue holiness in my life?
Yes.
Do I know how to love?
Yes.
Do I know how to praise?
Yes.
Do I know how to give to others when they have a need?
Yes.
Whether I'm always perfect at them or not, at least these things I do know how to do. No wonder we are admonished to live up to what we have already attained (Philippians 3:16). I will continue to pursue a knowledge of how to truly resist grasping at promises of God that match deeply rooted dreams in my life. But for a while, especially while it at least for now begins to recede from importance, I will grasp the opportunity to remember the means of sacrifice that I already know how to do, and live up to that.
I realize I've left the question of sacrifice and rejection unanswered.
In truth it feels like freedom, which is exactly what I was looking for....
Now granted, that's a whole three days' worth, but so far, this is my experience this week. And quite frankly it goes with much of what the Lord has been trying to teach me (I'm glad my students aren't as thick about algebra as I am about God's lessons) - to turn my eyes, ears and thoughts to Him, and have the earthly things grow "strangely dim." I would like to say that it is completed - the lesson is learned and thus I move on, but I imagine I may gain ground and then lose a little ground here and there as I vie for victory. However, today I am seeing a definite correlation between the increase in the spiritual discipline and the decrease in the grasping of dreams. Interesting, because I was actually looking for an answer on how to deal with the struggle and solve it, when instead the struggle has - at least at the moment - simply abated.
As I was reading this morning, I chose to look up sacrifice in my tiny little concordance in the back of my Bible, and found that God defines sacrifice as these things:
Obedience (1 Samuel 15:22, Psalm 40:6)
Thanksgiving (Psalm 50:14)
Mercy (Matthew 9:13)
Holiness (Romans 12:1)
Love (Ephesians 5:2)
Praise (Hebrews 13:15)
Supplying others' needs (Philippians 4:18)
I can do these - or at least I can work at doing them. Not one of them even remotely speaks on giving up promises God has spoken. God has chosen to share with me things He has planned over my life, but He does not, at least in my short little study this morning, note anywhere that I then have to wrestle with giving up, accepting, giving up, accepting. In fact, so much focus on them at all is probably too much. I must avoid them becoming an idol in my anticipation of their goodness, but other than that, frankly, I can and must await God's timing for them. The incredible struggle I've been going through of not knowing how to believe in them without squeezing the life out of them might be less important than I thought a few days ago.
In the meantime, do I know how to obey whatever He asks of me?
Yes.
Do I know how to offer thanksgiving to the Lord?
Yes.
Do I know how to show mercy to others?
Yes.
Do I know how to pursue holiness in my life?
Yes.
Do I know how to love?
Yes.
Do I know how to praise?
Yes.
Do I know how to give to others when they have a need?
Yes.
Whether I'm always perfect at them or not, at least these things I do know how to do. No wonder we are admonished to live up to what we have already attained (Philippians 3:16). I will continue to pursue a knowledge of how to truly resist grasping at promises of God that match deeply rooted dreams in my life. But for a while, especially while it at least for now begins to recede from importance, I will grasp the opportunity to remember the means of sacrifice that I already know how to do, and live up to that.
I realize I've left the question of sacrifice and rejection unanswered.
In truth it feels like freedom, which is exactly what I was looking for....
