Sacrifice

I have been thinking a lot about sacrifice lately. With the exception of its application in war times, you don't hear about it a whole lot. It doesn't seem like something that is promoted in our society. Our culture is all about comfort, ease, convenience. We are told to make sure we get what is coming to us and to stand up for our rights. We should not let anyone get anything by us - that's why there are so many court tv shows and dramas. I've even seen a billboard advertising a website "Who Can I Sue?" The messages I receive from the world around me tells me that sacrifice is not important, or ever really necessary.

However, I learn in the Bible that sacrifice is the ultimate form of love. "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13 The best way to demonstrate love to others is to sacrifice myself for them. That's what Jesus did for us. That is what we are supposed to do out of our love for God. But what kind of sacrificing are we to do? Are we supposed to seek out opportunities to put our life in danger? Not necessarily. Like I said above, we are all about convenience these days - drive-thrus, online bill pay, cell phones. What if we were open to allowing ourselves to be inconvenienced by others? What if we were not so interested in our own agenda, but in whatever God may have in mind? What if I were truly willing to sacrifice my own wants for the benefit of others?

Yesterday in prayer group we had a discussion on fasting. We talked about the different types of fasts, reasons for fasting, and the purpose of fasting. Fasting is generally associated with food, but fasting should be associated with sacrificing. For some people, it is nothing to skip meals. What would be even more difficult would be to give up the internet. In a fast, the thing sacrificed is supposed to help make you more aware of your need for/dependence upon God. If the "sacrifice" is not noticed, then it's not really a sacrifice. Sacrifices are usually associated with pain - not necessarily physical, but there's a pang of some sort, maybe a feeling similar to withdrawal. The lack of that "thing" is felt acutely. It got me thinking about times of fasting I've had in the past. Not every time has the sacrificed thing really been a true sacrifice to me. There have been times when it was ritual rather than purposeful.

I am pressed to ask myself, "Am I willing to sacrifice my wants, desires, comfort, happiness, etc for others or for something better? In my marriage, do I always seek my way or am I looking for ways to serve my husband? In my relationships, am I seeking the interests of friends and families, or am I continually guarding my own? With God, am I truly desiring his purpose for my life so much that I would sacrifice whatever he asked me to, or are there areas in my life that I am still holding onto and keeping away from God? Do I truly trust God that the result will be worth whatever sacrifice he may call me to make?"

What about you? Can you honestly answer "Yes" to the questions above?