Wednesday, 20 September 2023
“But the king said to Araunah, ‘No, but I will buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing.’ So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.”
A sacrifice that honors God will always cost you something!
Have you ever been in a position where you wanted to lose weight but you didn’t want to exercise? Where you wanted to fit into that shirt but you didn’t want to give up carbs? Where you wanted to attend that birthday party that you were invited to but you also wanted to stay at home and have a night in?
The things that matter in life don’t come easy to us. There is a sacrifice that is associated with having valuable things in life. The problem is, we often have the “I am going to get through life doing the minimum” attitude.
To be healthy, you need to watch what you eat and exercise. That takes dedication and determination. To have a great marriage you need to love and respect the other person. That takes intentionality and daily commitment. To have real friendships you need to open up and spend time with people. That requires a level of vulnerability, honesty, and time investment.
David didn’t want to live the barely-get-by life. Araunah offered him the field for free, but David didn’t want to offer something that didn’t cost him, because he valued his relationship with God.
Decide today that whatever you are going to give—to God, your spouse, your friends, your body is going to be precious to you. Whether you are giving time, attention, or money decide that it’s not going to be the bare minimum and it’s not going to cost you nothing. Decide that it’s going to be the best that you can offer!
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