Not Giving Nothing

I’m not a shopper. Ask my sisters. (I’m afraid I’ve made some of their shopping expeditions rather unpleasant.) Neither am I a spender. (The way I see it, saving 50% on a sale item is no savings at all if you weren’t already planning to purchase the item. In that case, you’re agreeing to spend 50%.)

Perhaps this perspective is what arrested my attention when I read David’s statement in 1 Chronicles 21:24: “I will not…offer burnt offerings without cost.” What? David had an opportunity to have something without cost—for free, and he refused it! Why? Because he wanted to give something of value to the Lord.

Every time there is a cost involved in serving God, every time there is a price to my commitment to offer myself as a living sacrifice, it is an opportunity to ascribe worth to the Lord—to prove how valuable He is to me.

I will not offer to the Lord that which costs me nothing. He is worthy!