Sacrificing for the Cause of Christ!
Though in the Lord's Sovereignty and Providence, it was necessary that our Missions Conference become a Missions day, it was a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the theme of Sacrificing for the Cause of Christ. Thank you to Ryan and Jacob for their messages, and to Jim and Peggy for sharing as well.
The reality is that most of us, author included, have very little understanding of what it means to sacrifice for the cause of Christ. My prayer is that we will learn to genuinely sacrifice by conviction, because sacrifice by compulsion may be near at hand.
Test to Convince Whom?
When we consider "sacrifice" from Scripture, after the crucifixion, most of our minds would likely be drawn to Abraham and Isaac. (Genesis 22...check it out). You're most likely familiar with the incident. God asks Abraham to take Isaac to Mount Moriah and offer him as a burnt offering to the Lord. His SON! His only SON! The heir of the Abrahamic covenant from which a great nation was promised! Wow! It is unimaginable for us, in the culture of "comfort, ease and what's best for me", to consider surrendering our children to the Lord, much less sacrificing them to Him! Verse 1 says that God "tested" Abraham. Our normal thought process is to assume that God tested him to see if he would be faithful in doing what He asked, to see if he would prioritize His will first, even over his son, even to the point of sacrificing his son. BUT WAIT!! Is that really what was taking place, is that really the purpose of the testing?? Who is God? Did He not know Abraham's heart? Did He not already know that he would be faithful? Did He not already know that he would be obedient even to this unconscionable command? Of course He knew! He is God! I propose that the test of the sacrifice was indeed NOT for God to see where Abraham's heart was, but to convince Abraham where his own heart was! Abraham himself needed to be convinced that he loved God above all else...and he proved to HIMSELF that he was faithful. God already knew.
Application:
Have you ever thought about this truth in regard to what the Lord asks of us? In regard to what we might consider (rightly or wrongly) sacrifice? The Lord isn't trying to determine where our hearts are, He already knows! He is showing us, revealing to us, where our hearts are. Then, when we see areas that are not surrendered, that are not His, areas that in reality are idols, by His grace He will empower us to make the "sacrifice". The sacrifice that is necessary to walk closer, more obedient, more surrendered, more genuine. Abraham proved to himself that not even his only son was more important to him than his Lord. What is the Lord asking you to "sacrifice"? What are you holding on to that is priority over Him? What is He asking you to surrender?
Let go of the idols.
Draw closer to Him.
He knows your heart already.
The required sacrifice is to reveal to you where you heart is? Is it HIS?? In all areas??
