Learning to Sacrifice

In His Name Devotionals
LEARNING TO SACRIFICE
(THOUGHTS OF A CHRISTIAN TEENAGER)

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God...“ (Romans 12:1)

What have you sacrificed today? Was it a sheep, a goat, a dove? Probably not. In Old Testament times, this was required of God’s people. They had to learn what to offer and when it was to be offered. There were so many rules and regulations on making the sacrifices properly. The people did not have the choice of sacrificing or not sacrificing.

In reading the book of Leviticus, we can get a glimpse as to what was required of God’s people. Of course, one may say that they had help. The priests did most of the work.

Are we required to make sacrifices today? Yes! And our High Priest has already done most of the work. Jesus’ death on the cross was the most perfect sacrifice of all time. It was exactly what we need. Without this offering we could never be pleasing in God’s eyes. But it doesn’t stop there. We are to continually “present our bodies as living sacrifices.”

The sacrifices we may make seem to pale in comparison with those we read about in the Old and New Testaments. Most of us, if not all, have never experienced being beaten, thrown to the lions, or put in jail because of our commitment to God.

What have you sacrificed today? How do we make daily sacrifices? Do you offer time you could have spent in other activities, in service for someone else? Do you give up things like a favorite television show, suggestive music, worldly books and magazines on a regular basis because you are a Christian? Have you given up immodesty in clothes and actions?

Jesus gave us His all! The little every day things that we think are so major are really minor. We may have to give up certain friendships and even family. It will be hard at times but so worth it. Let’s make our motto “Give it up for God!”