2 Samuel 24: 23-25 - I will give it all to you, and may the
LORD your God accept your sacrifice." But the king replied to Araunah, "No, I
insist on buying it, for I cannot present burnt offerings to the LORD my God
that have cost me nothing." So David paid him fifty pieces of silver for the threshing floor and the oxen. David built an altar there to the LORD and
offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. And the LORD answered his prayer,
and the plague was stopped.
This last chapter of 2 Samuel tells all about a census David
took of the people....that took over 9 months.
He counted the people….but then felt guilty for doing it. 1,300,000 men of conscription age were logged
into the census books….and that does not include children and women. A terrible
3 day plague …that killed over 70,000 of the Israelites were killed by the
death angel before god’s mercy stopped him at the threshing floor of a man
named Araunah …and David was sent to build an altar of thanks to God at the
very spot.
The humble words of David recorded in verse 24 are words
that sure stabbed my proud heart last night… for they show me the Lord’s true
definition of sacrifice. Sacrifice must cost us something. David simply did not
feel he was giving anything to the Lord…..if he did not have to pay a price for
it. It wasn’t a huge sacrifice t David….considering his great wealth…but 50
pieces of silver was quite a bit of money in those days…more than the fair market
price.
I can’t rightfully say that I have truly sacrificed much …in
comparison to what God has blessed me with. I debate with myself about whether
to tithe my gross or net income. I give
to others…but it seems that it is always the extra I seem to have left …after I
take care of my own needs. Then of
course…my mind thinks of the ultimate sacrifice that God gave to us in his son….and
it makes me look at the ground in embarrassment at the weak attempts I have
made in my life to make sacrifices for him.
Father…thank you for this story that reminds me that I need
to give more…sacrifice more to show how much I love you. Open my heart to be more generous…to give
more to my church...to give more to others.
Open my eyes to the needs around me so I can use the great resources you
blessed me with to help you help others.
Thank you for your great sacrifice to me…in giving your son to die for
my many sins….and forgive me for taking the high cost of my salvation so lightly.
Amen.
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