The Priceless Gift

The Priceless Gift
Psalm 50:7-15
"Hear, O my people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testify against you:
I am God, even thy God.
I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, to have been continually before me.
I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds,
for every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.
I know know all the fowls of the mountains, and the wild beast of the field are mine.
If I were hungry I would not tell thee, for the world is mine, and the fullness there of.
Will I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?
Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High:
and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

A few days ago David and I were reading a Psalm written by King David, and my husband made a comment about him I had never considered before. In a time where the religion of the Jew's revolved around customs and traditions, law and “doing/works”, David was ahead of his time when he wrote Psalms like chapter 51. Somehow this scraggly backward shepherd boy become king, realized that one could slaughter an entire heard of cows and have a heart still separated from God because of sin. He fully grasped the key to a right and proper relationship with Christ, something the Pharisees and “Doctors of the Law” still hadn't figured out hundreds of years later earning them the open rebuke and scorn of Jesus Christ himself.


As a parent with three kids, my hearts desire and prayer is they they come to know and love Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, serving him faithfully all their lives. I feel woefully inadequate as one of their spiritual God given teachers, and fear I will fail them, so David's story interest me greatly. As I mulled over this thought, I asked my husband, how he thought a lowly, last born, adolescent boy, who spent solitary hours and days in a field with nothing but sheep and a musical instrument as his companion, discover this secret? How did he figure out in the midst of sheep and grass, what men who studied the law all their life in the “house of God” missed? What did David discover in the fields alone with the sheep that the pharisees and scribes missed, that being what the Lord truly wants from us and the precious truth of what keeps us in a right relationship with Christ. What did Jesse his father, teach him? What kind of worship with Christ did he experience in the solitary fields that illuminated his spirit with the truth- It is not at all about the “sacrifice”, but “rather about the heart of the sacrificer.” Perhaps in the fields, with nothing to distract, and nothing to offer but his heartfelt love, adoration, and worship David experienced what men spend years trying to discover, a true and living relationship with Christ.


The next day I read Psalm 50, and when I got to the verses 7-15, the Lord spoke to my heart and humbled me with a truth I had never thought of. This chapter begins with the musician author speaking about the might and glory of God, and then the Psalm shifts to the Lord making a very profound statement about his relationship to us and all of creation. His statement is basically this, your sacrifices mean nothing to me because everything you take and offer up to me is mine all ready. I created the animals you offer to me, I control their movements, they obey me, they belong to me. He proclaims in Psalm 50 If I were hungry or wanted one of them, I would not come to you nor would I ask you to go get me one-THEY ARE MINE!!! The value or power of a sacrifice is not found in the quality, quantity or price of the sacrifice, the value of the sacrifice comes from something else and David realized this and he knew he could offer one-thousand of the choicest bulls from a heard and it could mean nothing to God, yet a poor peasant could offer a turtledove and obtain the grace, mercy, and forgiveness of the Lord.


This then is what brought me to my knees......The Lord God created this universe with the power and breath of his voice. All creation bows in obeisance to him, and he wields the power and the authority and the ability to control it all..... all that is BUT one thing. The Lord created the earth, the land, seas, animals, and heavens, and then he created within man something he prized and valued above all else, his heart. It is here the Lord then chose to limit himself. He could have demanded our love, required we worship him. He could have created us like the animals of the field forcing our obedience and service but he did not do this. Instead he created a gift, priceless and desperately sought after in his eyes and he relinquished his right to it. Limiting himself, he gave us the ability to give him something precious and treasured that he could not get for himself. This is what made our heart and our fellowship so precious to him. Then to establish how greatly he yearned for the right to possess that treasure, he offered in exchange the greatest gift he could, and the only sacrifice that could redeem that which had been tainted and made unworthy of him through sin. Thus he offered the unspeakable gift of his only son Jesus Christ. He offered up glory and majesty for the corrupted and sinful heart of man. The God of Creation, the One and true Gift became the seeker and the the corrupted and destitute became both the gift and the giver.


How humbling it is to recall every day that there is nothing I can acquire here on earth that is of true value and worthy to Christ. I can not achieve a salary, worldly goods, or any thing else of value here on earth that measure in any degree to his goodness, righteousness and holiness. I can not attain any measure of success that is of any value or worth to Christ, it is paltry and worthless compared to him.


All I can give him is my heart, but to him my heart is all he wants. For those who have accepted him as Lord and Savior, accepting the blood of his son Jesus Christ as payment for our sins, allowing him to wash our hearts clean that we can give it back to him holy complete is just the first part. Once this is done, the giving is not over, and this is what David understood. A bullock burnt on an alter by a man who does it to be seen of man is of no value to the Lord, but a bull given by a man with a heart broken and remorseful of his sin is priceless. Tithing 50% of my salary, proudly dropped in the offering is of no value to the Lord, but pennies from a teens allowance given with joy and out of love for God's provision is worth more than mountains of gold. Staying up late so I can deliver a message in Sunday school motivated by pride and the desire to receive praise of man is worthless, but seeing a sister or brother in need and laying aside what I am doing to extend encouragement or support is priceless and sweet smelling to the Lord. The Pharisees of the OT strove to “practice” the law but they never understood the reason for the law nor did they discover the secret of true love that could empower them to truly live the law thus becoming a sweet smelling sacrifice to God.


I have been challenged by the Lord to make sure that my heart is in a right relationship with him and to make that relationship and love for him the driving force of all I do, say, and aspire to accomplish. What an amazing thought it is to think I posses something God truly wants, seeks, and esteems. “What is man that Thou art mindful of him?” This weekend we celebrate the death and resurrection of our Savior and Lord. The ultimate sacrifice made by the King and Creator of the Universe. Does it boggle your mind as much as it does mine, that is was a wretched and sinful heart he sought to redeem? What amazing love would compel Christ to send his blameless son here to earth, alloim to be tempted in every manner we are, to suffer as we suffer, tire as we tire, to sorrow, bleed, and die that he might obtain the one thing of value that we posses, our heart, our devotion, our love.


Fernando Ortega's Song “Sing To Jesus” is a wonderful story of this sacrifice and the mystery of the love of Christ.


“Sing To Jesus”

Come and see, look on this mystery
The Lord of the universe, nailed to a tree
Christ our God, spilling His Holy blood
Bowing in anguish, His sacred head

Sing to Jesus, Lord of our shame
Lord of our sinful hearts, He is our great redeemer
Sing to Jesus, honor his name
Sing of his faithfulness, pouring his life out unto death

Come you weary and he will give you rest
Come you who mourn, lay on His breast
Christ who dies, risen in Paradise
Giver of mercy, Giver of life

Sing to Jesus this is the throne
Now and forever He is the King of Heaven
Sing to Jesus, we are his own
Now and forever, sing for the love our God has shown

Sing to Jesus, Lord of our shame
Lord of our sinful hearts
He is our great redeemer
Sing to Jesus, honor His name

Sing to Jesus this is the throne
Now and forever He is the King of Heaven
Sing to Jesus, we are his own
Now and forever, sing for the love our God has shown

He uttered a word

Most of us value the genius and hard work of an expert in a field that interest us. For example, a car enthusiast can be brought to a steady drool by a automobile. Set a car in front of him that has been finely crafted, harnessing raw power, exquisite comfort, and unparalleled handling and there is an immediate understanding and appreciation of what stands before him. An artist can stand in front of a painting from one of the masters and be brought to tears not only by its beauty, but also by the power of the message given voice through the skillful mixing of colors and design set onto the surface of a simple piece of white canvas. It is through sweat, skill, long hours, and hard work a man attains and posses the ability to do, and it is in the fruition of his strivings that he finds power, recognition, and even fulfillment through his creations, accomplishments and works. For some the ability comes very natural yet for the naturally talented, long hours and devotion are still required for success.


Through all our strivings and accomplishments we seek glory, fulfillment, recognition, value, and peace. Yet even as we showcase our grand accomplishments, at our best can do nothing more than humbly sink to our knees because we stand paltry and wanting in comparison to another. Now please don't rush out and quit your jobs in a state of depression become a couch potato, rather consider the power of the truth of the unsurmountable weakness and need of mankind.
I am reading a book by Gary Thomas titles “The Beautiful Fight” which is an amazing and empowering book that I highly recommend. One of the chapters I just finished contained a section on becoming familiar with the voice of Christ. This section was one of those where you feel the need to read real slow, sometimes more than once, meticulously chewing and mulling over the truth that lays before you. I literally put the book down because I felt the need to mull over the significance of what I had just read. The following day, I came across a Psalm that stopped me in my tracks, and then I turned to the gospel of Mark and boom, the same truth jumped out from the scripture.


Psalm 29 starts by admonishing us to “give” to the Lord all that is rightfully due him, including glory, honor, worship.....because he is God. What's interesting is that the rest of the chapters repeats over verse by verse a phrase that expresses one of the most amazing abilities of God, and in fact the very first of his abilities ever mentioned in Scripture. While it is not the sole ability or attribute that validate his claim and his demand and right to be called our one and only God, it is a mind boggling one.


Psalm 29:3 Begins with this powerful phrase, “The voice of the Lord” and it proceeds to list the power contained in a single word or phrase uttered from his lips. As I went through the list and then started recounting all the miracles he performed by his “word”, the importance of listening and training our ears to recognize, hear, and seek God's voice as pointed out by Gary Thomas really hit me.


Tell an engineer, who has been to school 4-8 years that you want a car that can do A, B, & C, and perform E, F, & G, and the process from beginning to end takes months and even years, and in the end the design may never become more than a concept drawn onto a piece of paper. Contrast this with the God of Creation who in Genesis simply spoke the world into existence! This is a God who with his voice, uttered a command and in an instant every planet was aligned where it needed to be. By the breath of His mouth, every star was set in its course. By the simple utterance of a word, he hung in the heavens the constellations, which on a certain day, and in specific moment in time would align perfectly thousands of years later foretelling and proclaiming His birth. This God uttered into existence all of creation, plants, animals, and land each coexisting intertwined yet harmonious with each other. This God mad each and every animal in a moment with fully working and functioning anatomy, covering every need and process of life adaptable for living both then and in the present. It took me weeks to get the anatomy and physiology of one system down to where I fully grasped how each organ worked and entwined itself to the next. I had to study to understand how each organ could possess an amazing ability and function unique to itself yet totally dependent upon all the rest to remain viable and keep us alive. Yet, what men and women spend years in college trying to understand, the Lord created into existence in a brief moment in time. That is raw power, and that realization is what brought King David to pen the famous verses in Psalm 19 “The heavens declare the glory of God.....” and in Psalm 139:15 “My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.”


The same God who did all this, and even things we have not discovered or can't even comprehend, wants to speak to you. The God who spoke and healed the lame, the sick, and the dead, who can divide the heavens, part oceans, and vanquish sin, wants to lead, instruct and empower you. Matthew 4:24 says “And he said unto them, “take heed what you hear......and unto you that hear shall more be given” I have had to ask myself, whose voice and I listening for, to what or whom have I tuned my hears? Consider the parable of the seed of the sower. Most of us can quote what each of the sowers represent and the consequences of their actions, but I don't think I have never given much though to the fact that “Hearing” was the great seed, or gift they were given. Each sower “heard” was given “words” and the life they had lived and the things they had given their hearts over to determined what they did with that great treasure and power.


I have been challenged to cut out that which deadens my ears to my Fathers voice. I have been challenged to search my heart and to see where all my affections lie making sure nothing is strangling the voice of truth and leading me to live a life contrary to what I am called to no matter what “todays church” tells me is acceptable.


I am humbled and amazed that the Lord of Creation wants to speak to me and I am purposed to spend the rest of my life listening for the still small voice of my Savior. If you were told a successful businessman, politician, pastor, counselor, athlete wanted to have lunch with you and advise you, would shrug him/her off and throw away the opportunity of a lifetime? Do you realize the Creator of the Universe who simply speaks and creation obeys, wants a word with you and not just today, but tomorrow and the day after and the day after that.


Who am I Lord that you even take notice of me? You created this universe, you set up kings and tear down kingdoms, you afflict and heal, you seek and you save, and you want to speak to me!!!???

Two quarters and a lesson

On Sunday, our pastor told a very thought provoking story and a few days later I came across a very powerful and unique verse in Matthew 16:23 that seemed to tie right into the story.
The true story goes like this....One day a father took his two children out shopping with him. When they got to the store he noticed they had a petting zoo set up for the children. He dug two quarters out of his pockets and handed one to his son and daughter and told them to go into the zoo while he shopped right outside. Seconds after leaving them at the entrance, he noticed his young daughter trailing behind him. He turned to her and asked why she was not at the zoo, petting the animals with her brother. She looked at him and replied the tickets to get in cost 50 cents so she had given her brother her quarter. This touched the father deeply because he knew how much his daughter loved animals and because of that love, he understood the extent of her sacrifice. He walked back with her to the gate and they stood together watching the son play, pet, and romp with the miniature animals. As he stood there, he reached into his pocket and fumbled with the remaining quarters still in his possession. The quarters, sufficient to buy his daughter her own ticket, seemed to be burning holes in his pocket, but what he did next is not what you would think.....for the father remained where he stood, never taking the quarters out, never offering to buy his daughter her own ticket. He not only was a loving father, but he was also a wise man and he wanted to allow his daughter to experience the joy and the reward of her sacrifice of love. Had he given in to the powerful desire to buy the second ticket, he realized he would have cheapened the value and the price of her precious sacrifice.


As I sat in the pew and listened to the story, a host of emotions flooded my heart. I imagined myself in his shoes with one of my precious children beside me, for whom I would give my very life. A battle began to rage and I experienced a conflict in my soul because, although the wisdom of his decision rang true in my heart, the desire to give “good” to a child who truly deserved a reward would have been hard not to pacify. As I sat there I wondered, would I have made the same choice? I can honestly say, I think I would have given the quarters, and while that may not have been a wrong decision, perhaps in giving the quarters the child would have received the lesser and least valuable of the rewards.


I think most of us can say we have been on both the receiving and giving end of “withheld good” As a parent, I find I am faced with this decision almost every day. An incident happened this week in which one of my kids misbehaved in Sunday school and then throughout the week demonstrated willful disobedience and disrespect towards me. The kids had been invited to a special breakfast on Saturday with their Sunday school class and my husband and I decided we would not allow the offending child to attend with their sibling. Wow, was it hard dropping just the one child off and leaving behind my chance to get out by myself. It was even harder looking into the eyes of my child as we drove away while she sobbed asking to be able to go. I wanted to turn around, but I realized if I gave in and let her go, the lesson would not be learned and the transgressions would be repeated and left to be dealt with another day. Although my child was very repentant and show genuine remorse, my spirit and my husband counseled me to stick to my guns by withholding the “good” because I loved my child and wanted her to learn a very valuable lesson.


In Matthew 16:23 Jesus said “.....get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offense unto me: for thou savoriest not the things that be of God, but those that be of man.”
These were pretty harsh words for Peter after he “rebuked” Jesus for forecasting his death. While Peter was right to be repulsed by the idea of His Lords murder, had his spiritual eyes been open and had he been able to comprehend the eternal ramifications of the willing sacrifice Jesus was about to make, I believe he would have closed his mouth and instead fallen to his knees humbly weeping at the feet of his master as Mary had done days before.


Have you ever found yourself in the shoes of the father, equipped with the ability, and/or power, and strong desire to give? Have you ever had the opportunity to “give” or “do” good but had the spirit prompt you respond with a second choice, the better choice, to “withhold good”?


Have you ever found yourself in the shoes of the girl, faithful and obediently following Christ, yet having a desire, need, or request withheld? Has the anguish of your heart ever been met with the still small voice of the Lord saying “Not now”, “Endure for a while”, or “Trust me”? I know people enduring through unbelievably painful trials in their marriage, work, and life. Their desire is pure and they have faithfully served him and what makes it tough is that they know the Lord could simply utter the words and make it all go away, bringing healing, peace, or restoration. Yet for some reason, in his infinite wisdom and love he withholds the “good” and instead gives just enough strength and grace to endure.


There is a woman I barely know, whom I have never met personally, yet her life, struggles, and testimony has greatly impacted my life and walk with the Lord. I think of her daily and pray for her, that the Lord would reward her faithfulness, her long suffering, and her commitment to the truth no matter the cost, by bringing her out of her present fire and into the wealthy place place he promises awaits her an the end. At the same time, I wonder at the eternal impact her life, struggles, and story has made upon countless women all across the country. Her spiritual growth and maturity, and the wealth of knowledge and insight she is able to share, is priceless. I look at her life and I am reminded and admonished to not doubt when the Lord chooses to withhold the “good” so he can eventually give me something far greater that that which my soul longs for.


My life verse is Psalm 84:11-12
The Lord your God is a sun and and shield
The Lord will give grace and mercy,
No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly,
O Lord of Host, Blessed is the man that trusteth thee.


He can pour out blessings and goodness like the sun pours down it's rays, but he can also withhold and in withholding shield and protect us from not just evil but also second best. No matter his decision we know it is made with Love and mercy and it is accompanied with grace to endure.


Psalm 66:12
Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads
We went through fire and through water,
But thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.


If you are going through a trial where you are simply waiting for an answer He is there. If you find yourself painfully thrust into the refiners fire over and over again as you pray for an end to the hurt, He is there. If you find yourself in a vast and lonely ocean, fighting waves of despair and hopelessness, as you use all your strength just to keep your head above the water, no matter the trial no matter the pain, our Saviour is still there. He stands quietly with us feeling our present pain, understanding our present yearning, and our seeing our present need and he stands there with two quarters is his pocket. As our Lord passes with us through the fire and water, remember he also stands there with us in our future deliverance, our future healing, and our future blessing, and knowing all and seeing all, his hand remains where it rest and he lovingly and with omniscience withholds the “good” so that he can eventually give us of his best.


He who withheld not the most precious gift he possessed, his only and beloved son, will not withhold anything of lesser value. Why settle for just quarters when we can own the entire bank!


Are you willing to let go of the quarters and allow him to give you of his best, when and where he deems it best?