Acceptable Sacrifice

Thought for Today - May 27
Acceptable Sacrifice
By Robert A. Searles

     “Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.” psalm 107: 21, 22.  “I will praise the name of God with a song, and  will magnify him with thanksgiving.  This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs.” Psalm 69: 30-31.

        An ox or a bullock offered upon the altar as a sacrifice to God is something that can be seen and touched, and  something that seems to  be real in the earthly sphere of things, and  it is probably quite costly to the owner or the person offering it; however God has said that  he values more highly than the ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs, the praise and gratitude of the  heart.

     God said that love  is the more perfect way.  Good works, good deeds, good morals, sacrifices, all these things  that man can offer up to God are abominations, and a stench  in God's nostrils unless they are genuinely motivated by love and praise, and thanksgiving.

     Just to be talking about God, and to be doing  things that pertain to God, and to be all wrapped up in some service for him in  the name  of God is not enough  by itself.  Martha was busy about many things.  She was so  wrapped up in doing things, that she had  little  time for the Lord himself.  Jesus did not say that  Martha was completely wrong in doing, but he  did say that Mary had chosen the better part.  What was the better part?  The better part was to  sit at his feet and worship him, and listen to his teaching,  and love him and show her gratitrude, praise, and thanksgiving, by washing his feet  with her hair.

     The acceptable sacrifice to God is love  and gratitude  to God.   Jesus said: “thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and all thy mind and all thy soul.”  Our love of God will cause us to  put everything else  aside and make the Lord truly the Lord of our lives, and seek him   first in all things,  and trust him  for all our needs.

     God will not  fail us if we truly trust and believe his  word.  If we  will be preoccupied with God – God has  promised that  all our needs will be met and that our barns will burst with new wine.  Let us  pray that God will help us individually and together to offer the  right kind of sacrifices to him, which is -the best of our time, the best  of our life, the first fruits of all our  increase, the first part of every new day, and live in such  a way that we will be a testimony to all people that  we depend wholly on God and not our own efforts  nor our  own wisdom.

Telehelp Publications Christian Literature Ministry
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