A couple Sunday’s ago we were in Ephesians 5. The opening verses are an explicit challenge.
“Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children. And walk in love, as the Messiah also loved us and gave Himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.” [verses 1-2, HCSB]
Wow, look at the words and concepts used in just those two verses. “Imitators of God,” “Dearly loved children,” “walk in love,” “loved us and gave Himself for us,” “sacrificial,” “fragrant,” “offering,” and finally, “to God.”
The thought that struck my heart as Pastor Laura was speaking that morning was what a “sacrificial and fragrant offering to God” might require.
I think there are two kinds of sacrificial offerings, voluntary and involuntary. In the OT, the sacrificial offerings were animals. They had no choice in the offering. They were hauled into the Temple and their life was taken from them.
In the NT there is one sacrificial offering, that is Christ Jesus, who made the choice to offer Himself. He said, “No one takes [my life] from Me, but I lay it down on My own.” He did that for us. [John 10:18 HCSB]
Now as imitators of God, as His dearly loved children, we have a choice to make. Do we live a sacrificial life, or a self-serving life? Are we trying to “grab all the gusto” we want and live a life that pleases only us? Or are we finding ways to sacrifice our own desires in order to lift others up?
I truly believe that if we invest our lives in others, not counting the personal cost, when we get to the end of these earthly lives, we will be far happier and more fulfilled having chosen sacrifice rather than gusto.