In 2 Samuel 24 of the Holy Bible we learn another great lesson in life through King David giving an offering to the Lord. He refused to give something that did not cost him something because he knew that true giving always comes with a price. This same message was confirmed with God later in the Holy Bible when He sent His only begotten Son to give His life for the sake of ours.

 Think about it! If we only give something that does not cost us something then how shallow is this giving? It is easy to give what has been given but when we don’t recognize the price that has been paid for the gift that we have received then what appreciation would we have when we say that we truly believe?

 Nothing in life is ever truly gained without some sort of sacrifice and this is what the Lord taught us over and over throughout the Holy Bible. For instance, an athlete who wants to excel must sacrifice not only his time and be dedicated to his goals but he/she must even have the self discipline in their diet to help them reach the levels that they may pursue. Another example, in business we have to put in the work before we can expect to have some rewards and this often follows a sacrifice with dedication to one day enjoy the fruit of the labor. Another great example is in our marriage and what it takes to have a successful relationship by learning to sacrifice ourselves for the sake of our spouse. This same practice of sacrifice applies to our relationship with God through the love of Jesus Christ. For if we are not willing to give then honestly why should we expect to receive?

 I challenge you today to sacrifice something of yourself without holding back. Not all blessings are seen, acknowledged, or recognized but they are what we know in our hearts to be true because what matters to God is that we do our part…amen

 James Harrison

http://balancedlifeministry.org

http://specialdeliverybook.com