Sacrifices cost something
In 2Sam.24 we find the story of David numbering Israel. Though no one is exactly sure why the Lord was opposed to this - nonetheless, it was deeply sinful. Many have hazarded guesses as to why. Whatever the reason, David was not acting in a trusting or obedient way when he sent Joab to take a census of the nation. Joab hated the idea and rightly so. In 1Chr.21 it tells us that the devil enticed David to do this sin. The devil is always enticing God's children. Our problem is that cave too often - Jesus help us!
At any rate, as a discipline for this sin, God gave david 3 difficult choices as to how God would respond. David was sorely pressed for an answer & did not know what to do. He told the prophet that he would rather fall into the hands of the Lord because God is very merciful. A plague was the result & 70,000 people of Israel died. As the avenging angel was approaching Jerusalem, God said, "Enough!" and the angel stayed his hand. david actually saw the angel and he was near the threshing floor of Arunauh (or Ornan) depending on which account one reads. David was told to offer a sacrifice on that very site by the prophet Gad. That sacrifice would atone for sin and be the moral requirement needed before God to stop the death angel once and for all.
David approached Ornan and asked to buy the threshing floor from him in order to make the sacrifice God was requiring. Ornan generously offered to give the threshing floor to David for this most holy cause along with the oxen & the yoke implements for the wood and the burnt offering. David's answer astounds me and I want us to notice it from 2 Chr.21:24. "Then king David said to Ornan, 'No, but I will surely but it for the full price, for I will not take what is yours for the Lord, or offer burnt offerings with that which costs me nothing.'" There are two things here.
First, David what not take someone else's possession to offer as a sacrifice. He would not allow another to give or bring worship IN HIS PLACE! How does that happen today? I see it all the time. Parents serve the Lord hoping their children will catch on. Sometimes they don't. The parents keep on fighting for themselves and their kids. This is right & good for parents to do but it does not say much for the young person who is essentially living on the faith of their folks. These teens or young adults hope that will be enough - it won't! Sooner or later they must face the reality that everyone must give of themselves in worship if they are to receive the exchange from God > His righteousness for our sin. The exchange happens when one surrenders and comes to grips with the changes that God wants & believes enough to confess and follow the lord where HE leads. The same scenario takes place with couples where one is serving the Lord and the other is not. The faithful one prays, serves, intercedes, suffers anguish, hopes against hope, raises the kids for Jesus, goes to church alone, pitches in, & basically becomes the moral compass for the family; while hoping & waiting for some sign of life from their mate. The mate takes advantage of this allowing the believing one to do all the heavy lifting spiritually, while they make week claims at best about their faith. I have seen it & seen it. I have seen children do this for their parents too. This happens to pastors sometimes when they allow others in their church to carry the prayer, holiness, service, outreach banner while they act spiritual but do precious little actually. God help us pastors!
Second, David refuses to give a worshipping, interceding sacrifice to God that didn't cost him anything. We cannot buy something from God. NOTHING is more true than that! But just the same, what kind of faith is it that offers God something cheap - something that is easy to afford - something that is convenient. The gift is cheap and it reveals a cheap faith. In fact, James tells us that kind of faith is dead. If we are going to get something out of this Christianity that Jesus purchased for us by His own blood, we are going to have to put something into it.
Here are some suggestions. They are common and nothing new I assure you but in our day, they have fallen by the way side & are in danger of disappearing.
1. Pray with earnest desire and take time to plan on praying somewhere that is consistent (I'll leave the timing to you but I find earlier is better).
2. Read your Bible. Read it in order to practice it and not just to gain knowledge. When you discover a command or a statute or a correction in there - do something about t even if it costs you time, money, convenience, fun, possessions, or even reputation. Do the right thing you have discovered even if it costs you something. It probably will. Giving to God frequently costs our flesh something.
3. get connected to a local church - and I mean CONNECTED! Get in there and worship and pitch in and really help. You are needed & you need to serve.
4. While you are there, sing your heart out. make a big deal about the Lord - HE made a big deal about you & I. HE gave up heaven could afford to rescue the likes of us so He is 'worth the fuss'. Praising & thanking Jesus is the love language our God desires (so says Heb.13:15).
5. Find someone who does not know the Lord and spend your time, means, prayer, and emotional friendship on them - sharing your faith & testimony - discipling them until they come through for the Lord and can stand our their 2 feet spiritually!
You say, I am too busy to do all that. Then you are too busy with the wrong stuff. And you are in danger of giving God a sacrifice that belongs to another & costs you NOTHING! Come on my friends, Be a man ( or a grown woman as the case may be). get serious about whatever God is requiring of us. One might say, I am not aware of anything God is requiring of me at this time. God bless your heart. You have not yet arrived at angelic perfection. Seek Him for the next step in you life and HE will provide it. WE are the light of the world - it is high time we were shining. If you are dong that - I commend you. Pray for me. It is high time my light was shining! Jesus make you strong!
