Offering the Perfect Sacrifice
In the book of 2 Timothy, Paul warns Timothy against various kinds of vile people. He tells them that they will be narcissistic, money-minded, disobedient, unholy etc. But he goes on to tell that these people are actually the ones “having a form of godliness but denying its power”. The Living bible explains in simpler terms by saying, “They will go to church but don’t believe anything they hear” (2 Tim 3:5).
It is heartbreaking to see
so many people fall under this category even today. Today, people go to church
to find fault with the Pastor, scripture, believers, infrastructure etc. In
fact, many people love to criticize and put forth conspiring theories about the
Word of God. They go to church, yes. But their faith is rooted elsewhere.
This is not the kind of
faith God requires from us. He wants us to offer our whole hearts to him. He
wants us to offer every part of our daily life to him. You cannot offer him
your afternoon arguments or drunken brawls! He won’t be pleased with it. And
when you have to hold back parts of your life away from him, you fail to be his
child.
When
I say ‘offering your life’ it doesn’t mean you have to go and doom yourself to
martyrdom or crucifixion. It rather means living your life in such a way that
God would be pleased. Everything you own is God’s. Your life, your body and
even your time belongs to him for he is the creator of the entire universe. And
when the time comes for him to take away and see how you have utilized whatever
he gave you, where will you stand?
Let’s
see the following parable to know more about offering ourselves to God:
In
Luke 19: 11-27, Jesus tells the parable of ten minas where three servants were
given different amount of money. One was given 10 minas, another 5 and the last
one is given just 1 mina. When the time comes for the master to collect back
his money, the first two servants hand him a double of what was entrusted to
them, thus earning good rewards. But the last servant hands him the same 1
mina, claiming that he kept it safe as if it is the biggest feat to accomplish.
God gave us all lives to
live, families and friends to love, food to eat, house to live in etc. Some of
us have all we need and are blessed like the servant with the 10 minas. Some of
us may not have it all and are like the servant with 5 minas. Still, some
people have barely anything to live and are like the servant with 1 mina. Yet,
when the time comes and we have to give back to God, will we be able to offer
him all our lives and bodies wholly and fruitfully? Or are you going to tell
him, “I barely survived. Here take your gift of life back”?
To the ones who will not be
able to offer your whole self, your fate has been written in the bible, “For everyone who has will be given more,
and he will have abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be
taken from him. And throw that worthless
servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of
teeth.” (Matthew 25:29,30).
It is important for us, as Christians
to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice to Christ. And when we offer ourselves,
we must be an aroma pleasing to God. Only then, shall we be accepted. We must learn
to reflect Christ in our thoughts, minds, actions and words to be the perfect
sacrifice.
~Lilac Blossom
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