Living Sacrifice

Living Sacrifice

“Willingly I will sacrifice to You” —Psalm 54:6

Under the Old Covenant, things never ended well for the sacrifice. They always met a violent death. Their lifeless body was carried up the steps of the altar, where they were placed on the grate. They were then completely consumed by the altar’s fire.

However, in the New Covenant economy, I am the sacrifice.

So, the image in this verse is of me - willingly climbing the steps of the altar. But upon arriving at the top step, rather than placing the carcass of some slain animal on the grate, I crawl up and lay myself above the flames. To die. To be consumed.

In this scenario, the life that I currently live is now not mine at all. I have offered my very life to the glory of God. It is no longer I that lives. Whatever life is in me, is God. I have died. So I am no longer concerned with what I want. Or what I need. No. I am consumed with what God wants of me. I am concerned only with following Him.

I do not climb upon the altar to die once and be dead and gone. I climb it to remain. To live there. To be a continual sacrifice.

But rather than consume me, the altar’s fire purifies me. It burns away everything that is not Him.

The real beauty of this cleansing is that what remains is more alive than what I was before.

Whether in joy or sadness, wealth or want, health or sickness, life or death, my life is no longer my own. My life now is about His glory.

I have died - willingly - on the altar. I have no rights. No claim to health or happiness. No expectation of comfort. Only a sure confidence in His perfect plan. His amazing grace.

And I don’t simply accept this fate.

I pursue it.

I long for it.

“Willingly I will sacrifice [myself] to You.”

For I am persuaded that nothing that I desire could possibly compare to what God has in store for me.