Defining Proper… January 6, 2012

“Offer proper sacrifices and trust in the Lord.” Psalm 4.5 NLT

In the quiet hours of the early morning, I’ve found myself with David lately, my time in 1 & 2 Samuel, Chronicles and Psalms giving me a front row seat to the unfolding drama that is the life of the Warrior-Poet-King. Today my reading took me to Psalm 4, and  I prayed that THE Good Shepherd would speak into my own life through these few verses written so long ago.  And He answered my plea via verse 5.  “Offer proper sacrifices and trust in the Lord.”

Proper: marked by suitability, rightness, appropriateness; fit.  Sacrifice: the act of offering to a deity something precious.  As I continue to mull over these eight words, the Spirit illuminates their Truth.  My question:  what is a proper sacrifice…for me at this point in my life?

As a child, a proper sacrifice could have been simply sharing the last popsicle with a friend on a hot summer day instead of keeping it for myself.  Tithing a portion of a teenage girl’s babysitting money would definitely qualify, considering I knew that would mean even more frugal shopping on my next trip to the mall. (This particular sacrifice would prove a valuable learning tool for later, when full-time work meant making some “real” money.)  In early adulthood,  a proper sacrifice meant getting up to go to early worship…and then working in the nursery during second service.  Later as a young woman with a good profession, I felt it proper to buy new toys for that same nursery…rather than yet another new outfit … with my monthly bonus check.  By my late 20′s, I must admit that a very proper sacrifice was to end my relationship with Mr. “I’ll Go To Church With You” … and to wait patiently for Mr. “Spiritual Leader”.  (That really panned out … and didn’t take as long as I thought!)  During my time as a young wife, I began to sacrifice more strategically … at first by making meals for church families in need, then by leading ladies’  small group studies, later writing short studies and leading ministries … all geared toward helping ladies grow spiritually…and all taking time away from my own family.  Each of these sacrifices served to help me grow in my trust of the Lord by creating the opportunity for me to see His faithfulness.  This sacrificing, this offering up of something precious, is not only a measure of how much we trust the Lord, I believe it is also means by which to actually learn how to trust.  I’ve found that along with the sacrifices, comes God’s unlimited graciousness.  I can truly never out-give the God Who makes whatever small thing I’ve given up pale in comparison to the rich reward He grants for my obedience.   Consider the great reward of Jesus’ death on the cross…although His proper sacrifice was no means a small thing…reconciliation between hopelessly lost, sinful man and a holy God!

However, if we never give anything sacrificially… no money, no time, no talent…what are we even trusting God with?  Nothing.  Instead, we are holding onto those things and trusting them! This is not something we can afford to do if we say we know Jesus!

At this point in my walk with Jesus, giving of myself…my time (which is limited), my knowledge and any wisdom I may have (even more limited!), my understanding of Scriptural principles (again, with the limitation caveat) by investing those things into other women rather than hoarding them or spending them on myself or my family alone…seems to be the “proper sacrifice”.  Taking the time to help someone learn the value of spending time in God’s Word…even how to do just that.. when I had planned to run errands that day…seems a “proper sacrifice”.  Supporting my husband as he takes on new responsibility at God’s direction, knowing that means change for our entire family…seems a “proper sacrifice”.  Then I must trust God to make these efforts fruitful.  Self-reliance is not what God intends for us, but rather complete and utter trust in Him.   He longs for us to give proper sacrifices…whatever is appropriate for and truly precious to us…because He longs to show Himself as worthy… and trustworthy.