Good Monday morning. May today be beautiful for you.

Sacrifice requires a decision, a turning away from this to receive that.  In order to receive that which we desire, we must Want IT, & Desire IT, & Seek IT, & Ask for IT—-MORE than anything else.

Think about it.

An athlete sacrifices time from his daily routine in order to train and lift weights (sacrificing this) TO GAIN muscle strength (the New THAT).

A scholar sacrifices money that could be earned from a job (sacrificing this) TO GAIN additional knowledge from a deeper, more-focused study of a subject (the New THAT).

And there’s an entrepreneur who sacrifices time away from his family, giving his energy and even his own finances (sacrificing this) TO GAIN growth to his business and increased client base for his product TO GAIN (the New THAT). 

Are there ever any guarantees that when we give our THIS we will Gain our Desired THAT?

Possibly.

Maybe.

Probably Not Always.

For example, an athlete could train many hours and lift weights so often that his muscles become fatigued and break down, leading to a pulled or torn muscle. Fatigue of his body could create a negative reaction within his body and not the stronger, well-sculpted body, but one much weaker from abuse.

And then there’s the scholar who could pursue a second, third, and even fourth degree, increasing his knowledge base to the pinnacle that he is a master of knowledge over a certain topic, but in receiving only book-knowledge, the scholar could lose real world, on-the-job experience or time shared with a mentor to resonate what is really needed to understand a field of study.

Finally, an entrepreneur may pour all of his finances into his budding business and work extremely long hours, while sacrificing a close family relationship, friendships to share, and time away to rejuvenate his mind, soul, and body throughout his days.

Each of these examples reveal how sacrifice could lead to great loss as one gains what he most desires.

BUT, what about sacrifice to gain more of what God wants for us? What about those choices?

What about the sacrifice of our own selves to allow us to draw closer to God?

What About……….

More time studying God’s Holy Word & Less time watching secular entertainment?

More time on our knees praying for certain people and their needs & less time just thinking about the needs of those we know and love?

Could it be that……..

MORE time serving others who are struggling—–IS A LESS selfish action, A LESS tending to our own desires, wishes, and personal concerns?

Yes, MORE time serving God, obeying where God leads us & fewer hours following the desires of this present world—–IS LESS about what we are sacrificing and MORE about how God is filling us.

MORE time sharing the love of God with someone who is lost as he finds the salvation of Jesus to be received—–IS LESS time walking in fear, LESS time being too scared to witness, LESS time living too timid to voice aloud and share our testimony with a lost person wandering in darkness.

Sacrifice (when considering what God would have us do) is LESS about what we give & MORE about how God fills us when we do.

Yesterday morning, one Bible passage came to me, but I passed by it as a verse too familiar. You know, those verses we can quote, the ones we may have known since we were children. So, I passed by (actually ran by that verse, searching for something new), when later I realized that God desired I stay in that verse, learning something new that He had for me to know.

During the pastor’s message yesterday, I found myself In Total Amazement as he voiced the exact same verse God had brought me to earlier that morning.

As soon as the pastor spoke aloud the Scripture reference, I knew………

There was so much MORE for me to learn from that one Bible verse.

So, in closing, see (anew) these familiar words found nestled within Psalm 23. Read verse four aloud several times.

Then read a second Bible verse, one of a narrative we may also know so well, the one detailing Jesus’ first miracle.

As we read, let us ask God to Teach Us What We Should See As We Slow Down & As We Ponder Each Familiar Word.

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me;” (Psalm 23: 4).

“Jesus said to them, ‘Fill the waterpots with water.’  So they filled them up to the brim” (John 2: 7).

In order for a shadow to become present, there must be a light. &. In order for a waterpot to become filled, there must be a filling with water. 
SEE GOD’S TRUTH.

In order for our life to be sheltered from eternal death and separation (once death comes to us), we must individually choose to walk within the shadow of Jesus as Savior & LORD.
&
In order to experience the miracle of God’s amazing gift of salvation, we must first individually receive the living water of Jesus to be poured into our body, soul, and heart.

We can learn much about how God desires to protect us within His Shadow as we journey with the Light of the world.

AND

We can become so filled with God’s living water that the abundance overflows and sloshes out as we walk close beside our LORD, IF we willingly give up our small this desires and seek God’s GREATER THAT.