Sacrifice can be described as a lost in order to gain an objective. It is one of the most discussed topics in the christian society. Sacrifice is considered by most people as an act born out of goodwill but not to feel enslaved by your own sacrifices. Sacrificial giving is believed to move the hand of God in one’s favor when done with the right motives. Hence many are persuaded by Biblical standards to engage in the practice of giving sacrificially in their everyday lives. We want to explore another depth of the sacrifice that is known as living sacrifices, where we shall consider the word living as the subject.
Living Sacrifices are sacrifices born out of genuine heart towards God and man. What makes a sacrifice a living one? When it is done out of love but not competition. Presenting the acceptable sacrifices. Let’s look at some characteristics of a living sacrifice.
1. The sacrifice must be complete or without defects. In the old testament, God gave specific instructions on the kind of sacrificial lamb to be offered. The animal must be healthy, an animal that is not limping, animal that is not blind but a complete one in everything. God does not delight in sacrifices that are not complete. Therefore to receive the full benefits of your sacrifice, you must present a living sacrifice.
2. The sacrifice must be as perfect as the one doing the offering. In the old testament, God rejected Cain and his offering because he offered with the wrong motives and did not present as rightly required. Therefore he and his offering were rejected by God.
3. Every sacrifice has a pain factor. Abraham was tested by God to give Isaac as an offering. It might be so painful to accept but he was willing to despite the pain. Even though Abraham did not offer Isaac physically, it is believed that he has already done that because he accepted to do so from his heart. The Lord blessed Abraham for his willingness. On the other hand, God asked Abraham to leave his father’s house and go to a distant land. It was a painful sacrifice to leave his comfort zone to an unknown land, where he will be a complete stranger.
Other forms of sacrifices may be services such as sweeping, ushering, playing piano, drums and any other thing that you found doing in the house of God. Sacrifices can become a covenant between you and God. It is written in Psalm 50 and verse 5, Gather to me my Saints they that have made a covenant with me through sacrifice. The Lord Jesus Christ gave himself as a sacrifice to the whole world. Therefore we must emulate this habit of sacrificial giving. Sometimes you must sacrifice your comfort, time and other resources for others.
