From Today's Reading:
"How have you defined sacrifice? Is it always suffering
physical death or cultural distance from your family? Where are you getting
your love, your respect, your acceptance? Are you willing to give those things
to the Master? What is easy for you may be sacrifice for another. Are you
measuring your sacrifice by what is hard for someone else? Are you willing to
be the sacrifice (as opposed to making it)?"
Yesterday the journal talked about living simply, today it is sacrificially. What we give up, what we let die, determines what will live in the new us.
I'm currently killing the weeds in my yard, so that I can grow green grass. Something has to die before I what needs to live can live. If the weeds don't die first, the grass won't grow.
On this journey - what are you willing give up? What are you willing to let die? What are you willing to kill? What are you wanting to come ALIVE? If God is speaking to you, and you feel comfortable, please share.
Live|Dependent
Live|Simply
Live|Sacrificially
Live|DEAD
Please pray for the Afar people today.
11 comments:
This people group - the Afar - has really jumped into my heart. Praying for someone to go to the Afar people.
I went through this process several years ago. I had to let go of the things that I was relying on to give me a sense or feeling of respect, accomplishment, and importance. I so identified with the missionary writer of today's devo. It was a difficult process to place my hopes and dreams on God's altar. But, as He always does, God took my sacrifice and replaced it with a God-reliance that has molded and shaped me more than I could have ever imagined.
This morning, in my quiet time of reflection, the Lord reminded me that it is not a one time sacrificial process. It is a daily sacrifice I must make, lest I ever fall into the same mindset He delivered me from.
God also impressed upon me this morning - of course I am willing for myself to go to a foreign country as a missionary. The question is would I be willing to send my children as a missionary to the Afar people. Would I fight that? That was hard.
Lord, I am Yours. My family is yours. Whatever You call us to do - that is no sacrifice. Here are our lives. Use them as You will.
Brian your words are powerful. Led me to a song we sing at theHouse a lot. I Am Yours by Darrell Evans.
Listening to it right now.
My daughter and I are fasting from sodas and tea. We are drinking only water as a daily reminder of our needs and our wants. It also reminds me daily that just as water is necessary every day, how important the Living Water is to all the thirsty souls still to experience Him.
I stay reminded that all He has blessed me with is merely on loan and that I am called to use them as tools to reach others. Our home, our cars, our money, our time, our families are at His disposal to use as He sees fit.
How many of us would go through 3 drownings and revived, only to be labeled an outcast and banned from the community. How would I feel if I walked into a restaurant and was asked to leave because they don't serve Christians. Will I ever really know what it is really like to live sacrificially? I tend to give up tv, and sodas, internet games, etc. These are all all easy to live without. Just how sacrificial am I willing to be? We stress over deciding which restaurant we going to for dinner. Never have I stressed over having something/anything to eat. It just might not be what we want. Someday all our conveniences will be taken away from us. It will be eye opening to see how many Christians stand firm in their beliefs. I pray that as I reflect on myi life without freedom and without food, cars, electricity, I hope my faith stays unfailing. I pray that I never take for granted what I have and desperately search for ways to serve others. I pray for the poor souls of Afar. Those who feel helpless,hopeless and all alone. I pray that someone will answer God's call and GO tell these people tbat they are not alone. That they are loved. That there is hope in Christ. My heart breaks for the hopeless.
Although the thought of death, or sacrifice, is not pleasant, there is something beautiful (precious) about it.
I'm thinking about the recent funeral of Soon Hall (Kathy Brockinton's mom). Psalm 116:15 talks about the death of saints being precious in the sight of the Lord. Knowing Ms. Soon and talking with Kathy, really validates the preciousness that God sees.
Also, one of the many benefits of living in Arkansas is the beauty Fall brings - wonderful snapshots of nature. Isn't it crazy that we find dying leaves beautiful?
I pray that God helps me grasp more of his perspective to sacrifice (death), rather than mine.
I honestly don't know if I do truly understand sacrificial living. Yes, there are times when I give up one thing or another because of a variety of reasons...and yes, there were times in the past when I didn't have the money to enjoy a meal out or even purchase Christmas gifts for my kids...but that was a one time event in the grand scheme of life. Could I live that way day in and day out? Would I remain faithful to Him knowing that He does provide ALL of my needs? Or would I start to grumble and complain - even whine - about not having what other's do? I pray that God will drive deep within me the meaning of sacrificial living - and dying. I ask that this meaning will transform my thought processes about EVERYTHING...my actions and my reactions.
As I thought about what I was willing to sacrifice, I was reminded that not all of us are called to sacrifice the same thing. So while I may be willing to sacrifice something a friend felt called to, wha God really wants from me is obedience. Letting something go without Him asking me to is foolish, but doing so with His blessing can change not only my life but others as well
We were on our way to school and were talking about the people group we were praying for and my 6 year old Sam was wondering if someone might be being drowned right now. So she stopped and prayed right then for them with hopes of maybe they would be saved. This journey has been already an amazing few days for our family. We are trying to teach our children and yet they are teaching us.
Sacrifice, to me, equals effort. That effort could be emotional and/or physical. I think of this when it comes to my family's giving financially and now when it comes to the time I sacrifice to spending time with God. After all, he could take both away from me at any moment. The great thing I think comes along with sacrifice is reward-even if that reward is the simple pleasure of knowing we are doing something that is pleasing to God. Often times though, God is gracious and merciful to reward much more than I could ever have imagined!
Just wanted to share a story about my daughter. Though she is only 3, I've been trying to talk to her about Live|Dead--particularly about the people groups we're praying for each day. On the morning of this particular devotional, I told her about the Afar and that she should pray for them any time she thought of them that day. She asked why, and I explained that the Afar people lived in another place where they are not able to know Jesus. She thought about this for a moment and then started singing an Israel Houghton song that my husband often plays at home: "You are not forgotten, you are not forgotten, you are not forgotten. God knows your name." I could have cried. What an amazing reminder from a 3-year-old that--even though I'D never heard of those people until that morning--God knows just where they are AND he knows their NAMES. He never stops thinking about them.
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