BE an OFFERING to GOD!
The other day, I made a list of names, and the names that made my list are people who I consider myself fortunate enough to have a “relationship” with, people who know me well and people I know—well.
Whenever one of these individuals celebrates a birthday, I know them—well—so, that means I should know what gift perfectly fits their personality and what gift they would most love. Right?!!!
How many times have we faced someone’s birthday and wondered: What gift should I buy?
Sometimes we attribute this inward struggle to the fact that we already have so much, and while that may be true, another truth cannot be ignored.
- Do we really know the person(s) we are gifted to have relationship with as we go through life?
- Do we really know them: their loves, their fears, their past joys, their future hopes?
- What do we give someone who already seems to have—Everything?
Today, my best friend, Julie celebrates (all day long) the day of her birth. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JULIE. As I reflect upon the gift that I purchased for her so long ago, I wonder: Did I really “nail it” with my gift, or in other words: Will she really like the gift when she opens it later tonight?
This question has brought me to look closely at myself in relation to God.
When I was fifteen, God sought me, and when He did, I gave my heart to Him.
Today, I wonder:
- What does it really mean to “give our heart” to God? &
- What can we ever give to the One who already owns—EVERYTHING?
These questions led to the study of Ruth, a Moabitess.
“The name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife, Naomi; . . .
Then Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left with her two sons.
And they took for themselves Moabite women as wives; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other, Ruth. And they lived there about ten years.
Then both Mahlon and Chilion [Elimelech & Naomi’s two sons] also died, and the woman was left without her two sons and her husband.”
(Ruth 1: 2a &3-5 NASB 2020)
- Naomi was a mother; she understood the value of a child.
- Naomi was a wife; she understood the value of a husband.
- Naomi was a person; she understood the value of sacrifice.
- Naomi was now a widow; she understood the value of those she loved who were suddenly lost.
- Naomi surely understood the depth of the psalm:
“Call upon Me on the day of trouble;
I will rescue you, and you will honor Me.”
(Psalm 50: 15 NASB 2020)
It is so difficult to imagine losing “Everything.” Oftentimes in life, the flood of despair comes at night, while we sleep and do not expect loss to come. The surrounding flood can rise while we slumber along through life and overtake us when we are most comfortable and vulnerable. It is in that moment that we cry out: “Help me, LORD, I am drowning!”
Nevertheless, we can still be swept away just the same, even as we cry out to the LORD.
WHY?
- Why do God’s children suffer tragedy?
- Why do God’s people yell and plead and promise God—and still face the sudden tragedies that take their breath away and cause panic to fill their being?
It’s so scary to face sudden tragedy.
We see the LIGHT of GOD—shining in the darkness, just as HIS LIGHT always shines—driving out the darkness.
- Why are we so afraid?
- Why are we so afraid to trust?
Others hear our cries. Others see our reactions. Others see our faith or our lack of faith.
- Why are we so afraid to leap into the arms of our LORD?
When Naomi lost her husband, her world came crashing down around her, I am sure. Then ten years later, Naomi lost her only two sons, and I am sure her world was devastated! What in the world would she do? Where in the world would she turn for her help? Who would ever help a widow and a devastated mother who was left with nothing but her daughters-in-law? She knew what they should do: They should return home, find new husbands to love, and live out their lives within their homeland. That was the right decision. That was the decision she encouraged Orpah and Ruth to follow. Orpah did.
“But Ruth said, “Do not plead with me to leave you or to turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you sleep, I will sleep. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.
Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD do so to me, and worse, if anything but death separates me from you.”
(Ruth 1: 16-17 NASB 2020)
My list of names of people that I created the other day are those who I consider myself fortunate enough to have a “relationship” with, people who know me well and people I also know—well.
Today, I wonder:
- Am I willing to lay aside my life for their lives?
- Am I willing to give my life as an offering to them?
These questions have brought me to look closely at myself & my relationship with God.
- What can we ever give to the One who already owns—EVERYTHING?
When I was fifteen, when God sought me, and when I said “Yes, LORD, come into my heart, did I really give my whole heart to Him?
Today, I wonder:
- Did I really—really give my ALL to God?
- Do we really—give our all to God?
- Do we arise from bed every morning and pledge to God this same offering?
- Are we really OFFERING to GOD our best or our “left-over”?
- Are we seeking to draw others into conversations about our Savior?
- Are we searching as we go through our day opportunities to minister to people, to people who are devastated by loss, to give what God has so freely given to us: HIS PEACE!
The Word of God says in the book of Romans that we are to present our bodies to God as living sacrifices. That means—
- Everything we do.
- Everything we think.
- Everything we say and Everything that we should say but don’t.
- Everything our hands touch.
- The whole existence of our days.
- The slumber that we enjoy.
- Our Relationships.
- Our Gifts & Talents & Skills.
- Our Hopes & Dreams.
- Our Daily Existence.
- Our—EVERYTHING!
What can we ever give to the One who already owns—EVERYTHING?
“Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
(Romans 12: 1-2 NASB 2020)
“Lamb of God, worthy is the Lamb.
Lamb of God, worthy is the Lamb.
Lamb of God, worthy is the Lamb.”
“Lamb” by Tiffany Hudson
May the Lamb receive our everything.
Today, may we BE an Offering to GOD!