The Heart Of Sacrifice

Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?
Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and perform your vows to the Most High,
and call upon me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”

Psalm 50:13-15 ESV

We often teach our children at an early age to say, “Thank you.”

The notion being that they will continue to voice their gratitude through life whenever they are given gifts or help.

But what happens when we find ourselves on the giving end and are not shown that same gratitude? Often, resentment toward the unthankful individual or toward helping others in general begins to form.

Though we may not expect anything tangible in return for a service done, it is an unspoken truth that we do expect the helped individual to be thankful and give voice to gratitude.

What if we experience these feelings because they are similar to the way our Creator feels?

I can’t help but think of the countless hours and dollars I have put in and given to the church or people who are a part of it.

Essentially, my sacrifices to God. Growing up in a family that regularly tithed to the church, it has become habit. A good habit, but is that really all it should be?

As I was reading this verse it hit me, that a lot of my giving is more of just a habit.

This habit has grown from years in the church and there is not much thought that goes into my sacrifices (I have it set up as auto pay).

As God says, he doesn’t literally eat or drink the sacrifices (Psalm 50:13), so it is more the heart behind the giving.

God doesn’t need my sacrifices or yours, but he does want a thankful heart that comes with them.

Remember that we serve a God who owns cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10) and he graciously gives us all we have to allow us to thankfully give to His church to advance the Gospel.

Examine your motives as you give your sacrifices to God today.