I had just finished dropping some stuff off at a local charity thrift shop when this message came strong on my heart. I had given away some clothing, a blanket, and a comforter someone had given me, a big bunch of clothes someone was giving away I was told I could look through to see if I wanted any for myself, and some special flooring I had received my money back for but had been told I could keep or give away. Bottom line, none of any of this was important to me. I wanted none of it for myself. It was easy to give away. In fact, I felt relieved, lighter, and thankful I had given all of it away for a good cause. But along came this message.
What would you do if God told you to give away something you truly value, that is really important to you, that you consider precious, that has great meaning and significance to you, that has memories attached to it, that brings you great pleasure, that you just don’t want to part with, that giving away would require a sacrifice, that letting go of would come with a sacrifice, etc.?
Would you easily and immediately submit to God and give it away? Would you argue with Him and resist His will for you? Would you procrastinate and continue to enjoy whatever it was and tell God you will think about it and that maybe later you will give it away? Would you outright rebel against Him and absolutely refuse to obey Him?
I am not just referring to stuff like clothes and blankets and flooring. I am referring to ANYTHING God tells you to give away. Could be LOVE, CARE, COMPASSION, KINDNESS, FORGIVENESS, MERCY, A MAJOR FINANCIAL DONATION, A ROOM IN YOUR HOUSE TO SOMEONE IN NEED, COOKING MEALS EVERY DAY TO A WIDOW DOWN THE STREET, THE TIME TO TUTOR CHILDREN OF MISSIONARIES, THE EXTRA CAR YOU HAVE TO A SINGLE MOM, ALL THOSE EXTRA BIBLES YOU HAVE TO PEOPLE WHO DON’T HAVE EVEN ONE, ENCOURAGEMENT TO SOMEONE YOU REALLY DON’T WANT TO ENCOURAGE, ALL THAT BELONGED TO YOUR LOVED ONE WHO PASSED AWAY TO PEOPLE IN DESPERATE NEED, etc.
Friend, sometimes we have a really hard time parting with something God wants us to give away. We don’t want to make the sacrifice. Isn’t it something how the Lord Jesus Christ sacrificed His very life when He died on the cross to pay the sin penalty for all of humanity and was raised from the dead. When He endured the most heinous, gruesome, and unfathomably painful death ever throughout time as He bore God the Father’s wrath, temporary separation from the Father, and the sin punishment of hell and the lake of fire upon Himself. When He did this so all who turn from our sins, believe in Him as Lord and in His death and resurrection, truly turning to God and His ways are forgiven our sins, promised a forever relationship with God instead of forever in hell and the lake of fire like we deserve, and the indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit.
How sad, how tragic even, that after all the Lord did for us and does for us that we have the audacity to pity ourselves, to complain, to whine, to resist, and even rebel against God when He tells us to give something away which in the grand scheme of things despite what we feel and think is such a very, very little sacrifice.
Is there anything God wants you to give away? I don’t know what your “THIS” is – i.e. something you may not want to give away. But perhaps there is something deep in your heart you know He wants you to give away. Have you been putting it off? Resisting Him even? Worse yet, outright rebelling and refusing to ever do so? Please, friend, humble yourself before God almighty and whatever He tells you to do, do it without sorrow and complaining. Do it for the glory of God, AMEN!
By the way, the Lord makes clear in the Bible there is a sacrifice He greatly desires and is worthy of forever and ever that we are to make at all times. When we give away whatever God tells us to give away, no matter the sacrifice involved in so doing, let us also remember this beautiful and powerful and awesome sacrifice He desires at all times.
The sacrifice of PRAISE! Hallelujah, glory be to the Lord forever and ever, AMEN!
“Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.” Hebrews 13:15 NKJV