Fearlessly Courageous
Desk of Dennis Piller
12 8 2023
Do you offer to God what cost you nothing?
My youngest daughter called yesterday as she prepared to lead a table for young girls at our churchs youth group United. She asked for insight into Deut 14:2 “You have been set apart as holy to the LORD your God, and he has chosen you from all the nations of the earth to be his own special treasure”. She had trouble accessing the leader’s scripture and questions and ran short on time and wanted probing questions to engage her young audience.
I thought of how proud I was that she reached out when an electronic glitch stole her time in preparing for an important exchange. She realized the criticalness of preparing herself before taking on the responsibility of leadership. She had felt a calling of God to offer her time to give back to these young ladies… God’s word, and the standards of God that she believed in, and even more… she lived in. There is a scripture in 2 Samual 24:24 that offers up a question we all should ask of ourselves:
King David said ” I can’t offer the LORD my God a sacrifice that cost me nothing.” My daughter was calling me to help because inside she was saying...How can I offer up to God what cost me nothing?
The phrase “that cost me nothing” emphasizes David’s aversion to offering sacrifices with no personal cost or sacrifice. David was the one who had sinned against God, so he must pay the penalty. David is willing to bear his own cross and not burden others with his mistakes. My daughter ran short of time but knew she must prepare so she sought out Godly council for insight. Although her time was short, she made certain she did not proceed into her responsibility … into the responsibility of being a teacher and an influencer to others with empty hands. She said, Dad, can you help me prepare?
Can you give me insight into this scripture relevant to my audience?
Luke 12:48 says: “To whom much is given, much will be required.” If you have heard that line of wisdom, you know it means we are held responsible for what we have, what we give, and what we say. We have all been blessed with talents, wealth, knowledge, time, and the like, it is expected that with them we will benefit others… and be expected to give ourselves away as servants of God. Ambassadors for God.
We are in the greatest of all the seasons. The season of giving, the season of peace, forbearance, grace, and forgiveness. What is it you are prepared to offer? Is Jesus on your giving list? Are his people? What offering do you intend to bring to the altar of Grace? There is still time. Perhaps if the spirit has pricked your heart today, you can purpose to give of yourself, some sacrifice of praise to our Lord and Savior. It begins with a heart to give. Interestingly the Holy Spirit planted in you the desire to give…but will you? Will you go into this Holy Season with empty hands, or will you NOT offer to God what cost you nothing?
Your act of sacrifice begins with spending time before God. Because you are reading this, you have purposed to prepare your heart for the day by making sure time with God is protected.
It is but the beginning. You have much to be thankful for… We could repent for all the blessings we do not give thanks for. So let’s purpose to step into the deeper waters of Grace today and this season to offer up to Christ the sacrifice of praise. Something that costs you something.
Only you can answer the calling he has placed within your heart.
Andra Love Can Save it All
