the daily sacrifice

The carcass, the blood, THE SMELL.....these memories of butchering day on Grandpa Deiter's farm are still vivid even after more than fifty years! Of course I was not involved in all of the activities from that day. But I remember the mess. I remember the distinctive aroma.

"Offer to God a SACRIFICE of thanksgiving and pay your vows to the Most High. Call upon Me in the day of trouble. I shall rescue you, and you WILL honor Me." Psalm 50:14, 15

Sacrifices were common back in Old Testament days - not so much today! So what DOES a sacrificed life look like? Is it all clean and pretty and wrapped up in a bow like a Christmas present? This is how I would like my life. All questions answered, all fears squelched, all doubts dissipated. NO MORE TEARS OR PAIN! But reality says that sacrifices are MESSY! There is death and there is MESS. It's not a pretty sight.

But God calls us to die to ourselves. Daily. We give thanks when things are in turmoil. When people let us down, when sickness creeps in, when comparison eats away our joy, when bitterness begins to fester. We give God our mess, our dysfunction, our doubts. "The trouble with a living sacrifice is that it keeps crawling off of the altar!" So we keep climbing back up on the altar day after day. This is another glorious exchange.....we die and our life is hidden with Jesus safe in the arms of God. I'll take that life any day.

And though sacrifice is messy and smelly, the aroma that reaches God is a sweet smelling fragrance! Sacrificing our rights and selfishness and shedding the light on His faithfulness and constant comfort pleases our Father. Intentional gratitude honors God.

"Through Jesus then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to Him name." Hebrews 13:15 

So once again this morning I slowly crawled out of bed and dropped to the floor, face down before the Sustainer of my life. Arms outstretched, I thanked Him for this new day. Sure, I wish some pieces of my life were different. But my life is wrapped up with His, held together by Him. I am not my own, bought at great cost by Jesus. And I trust Him to bring glory to God through this imperfect, messy sacrifice.

Opening the Gift

Ok folks, so I am no theologian! The whole principle of healing has given me issues for many years. I know what the Bible says.....and yet struggle to understand how to walk that out practically. I've wasted too many moments trying to "earn" my healing by declaring the right promises, speaking the Word often enough, loudly enough, emphatically enough. Who was I trying to convince? Myself? God? Satan? The cancer cells? All of the above, probably, at one time or another!

Please understand me. I'm not saying there's no place for declaration and confession. I love speaking the Word of God, journaling the Scriptures. But as always, God looks at our hearts and checks our motives. God is a God of PEACE. So when I am striving in an area, I'm missing the mark. Frantically scrambling to get what I want, to ease the battle I am currently engaged in, to hurry the process and skip this painful part of my journey is not God's best for me.


Walking down my country road recently I was reminded of what Jesus accomplished on the cross. It was the GREAT EXCHANGE. My salvation was bought by His blood. My peace was purchased by His anguish. My joy, my righteousness was given because He took my punishment.  He provided a garment of praise for my spirit of heaviness. My healing was paid for by His wounds.

It is not difficult for me to receive my salvation. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that my debt has been paid. I am cleansed and forgiven and utterly loved. I have a home in heaven with my Father waiting for me. I don't have to strive for it or work for it or earn it. Even if I try, it would never be enough. It's a GIFT to be received with thankfulness and surrender. I'm learning how to apply that simple truth to the other provisions from that exchange.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the GIFT OF GOD; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast, For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." Ephesians 2:8-10

Do I always walk in the complete fullness of the gift that Jesus gave? No! But that doesn't mean it's not available to me. It's a gift for me to receive each day, each moment. Is my body always in perfect health? Obviously not. But I believe it's provided, it's a gift to be received. "The chastening for our well-being (peace) fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed." Isaiah 53:5b So now when I start to stress and want to begin striving, I reach out in faith and receive that gift from Jesus. Our job is to receive the gift. His job is to provide. The how and when is in His Hands! I'm at peace with that. When my heart is heavy and filled with sadness, am I going to just shrug my shoulders and say, "Well, ok, I'm living in this world so this is bound to happen, I might as well get used to it?" No! I bring my thoughts back to God who has promised to be with me and give me peace even in the difficulties of life which we all face. I seek to keep myself at the foot of the cross, reaching out to receive what He has provided. So whether I receive a miraculous healing on earth or walk in health because of powerful medicine or find my healing as I breathe my first breath in heaven, I know I have received it.

Are you unwrapping the gift today?