An Offering Of Life

There are two stories of David that have always stood out to me. The first one is in 2 Samuel 23. David was hiding out in a cave. The Philistines had overtaken Bethlehem and were occupying it. There was also a regiment of the army between where David was and Bethlehem. David said that he craved water from Bethlehem and he wished someone would get him some. Three of his mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines and went into Bethlehem to get David some of that water. They fought their way back and brought it to him. He then refused to drink. Because it was so costly by the men risking their lives for it, David poured it out as an offering to God in an act of worship.

In the next chapter is the story of David taking a census. For whatever reason it was against God’s will and David knew it, but did it anyway. The Lord gave David three choices for his punishment. David chose a three day plague from God, but knew the Lord could show mercy during it. After 3 days of the plague, David looked out and saw an angel about to attack Jerusalem. He repented as God stayed the angel’s hand. David decided to build an altar and give God an offering at the threshing floor where the angel stood. The man who owned it offered it to David for free, but David said he couldn’t give God an offering that cost him nothing. He gave the offering and God forgave him. This man after God’s own heart understood what it meant to give God an offering.

We almost always think of an offering as money, but I believe there’s more than money that God asks for as an offering from us. In Matthew 16:24 Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (ESV). To deny yourself here means to give an offering as David did in the cave. In Romans 12:1, Paul then wrote, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” This act of worship of offering yourself up as a living sacrifice is giving God an offering that costs you everything. God gave us the offering of His son to pay for our sins. In response to this great act of mercy, our offering shouldn’t cost us nothing. How much of yourself are you truly giving Him in response? It’s time we take up our cross daily and honor Him with an offering of our life.

Photo by Luis Georg Müller on Unsplash