Burnt Offerings

Hey girls,

In our reading the other day we read "I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing."

It made me think of 2 things:

1. Our offerings have to cost us something. Confession is difficult, yes, but not really costly. Maybe our reputation or people's view of us, but obedience is what really makes is hurt. You have to say no when you want to say yes, to die to self, to take up the cross. Wow. That makes confession look almost easy.
2. They have to burn. I keep thinking about putting things up on the altar, but we can't just set them there and walk off. That makes it way too easy to come back and try to sneak things back off. We have to burn them, cut off all contact, make a clean break, replace them with something new, leaving nothing of the old. That's painful.

Praise God he gives grace! I was talking to Mrs. Perry the other day, and we would be so lost, so exhausted and unable if it weren't for the power of the Holy Spirit. But to get that: disciplined, holy life.

Why can't I be like that vase?

Just really quickly, cause Jenna's post reminded me of it--

Lately I've wanted to ask (using the pottery metaphor) "Why can't I be as beautiful or useful as that vase?" I see the work that God's doing in others, and I want to be like the best. Now, for one thing, judging some to be "the best" is a problem in the first place, because only God sees the heart. But I think there are people who we see are on a "higher ground" than we are. And it's right to want to be on that higher ground, but not enviously. Not because we want to be among the elite, but because we want to know God more and be used by him more. I don't want to just be like Simon the sorcerer who wanted to buy the apostle's power.

I have to remember that, often times, these people who I see are living on a higher plane than I started higher or earlier in this revival--I can't expect overnight change without the same hard work and perseverance (time!). So getting there takes work. Practical godly living (alright, this I know I can do with God's help), but also immersion in spiritual thinking--reading the Bible, godly books, praying, memorizing, etc (Um, but that's going to take the time I want to spend doing something mindless and useless. Yep. And God will help you do it, and God will even help you love it, as you know from experience). And it also takes perseverance--time. But most of all, it takes the power of the Holy Spirit. All my works--and certainly all my attempts at works--are in vain if they aren't done in his power. And if I'm truly living for God, he'll bring me to higher and higher and higher ground! And that's so exciting!

I just thought of something.

We can be dissatisfied with being where we are. That's not very helpful, since we can't do anything about our current condition--only our future condition. And then we just get depressed, because we see no hope.

But we should be dissatisfied with staying where we are. That, we (with God's help) can do something about! With that, there is hope! And with faith, we can be sure of what we hope for! What a wonderful promise!