Today I choose to sacrifice.

My baby girl, Lydia, is walking around giggling and talking to herself. Literally one minute ago she was crying and screaming because she wanted to eat. More specifically, she wanted her Mommy to feed her again. For the third time in the hour that I've been home from work. We've been working on this.She doesn't do well with the rules. Of course, she is only 14 months and doesn't understand what a rule is yet. Unfortunately, I sometimes feel like she has already inherited my bad habits. I mean, I know she is only a baby, but she eats when she shouldn't be hungry. She sees something we have and she wants to eat it. She gets upset when she can't have her food whenever she wants it. Ask my patient and loving husband, Paul. He will vouch for the "like mother, like daughter" situation we've got going on here. I want to eat anytime of the day, whenever I see something that looks good and I am definitely one of those people who gets crabby when I'm hungry. The truth is, I know Lydia is only a baby. But I also know that if we are trying to walk into a new territory of healthy living in our family, I have got to not only get rid of all the old ways completely but also lay a foundation for the better ways we want to expose Lydia to as she grows up. We have got to create a home that will allow for a more nutritious, active family to dwell in it. Please open your Bible and read Deuteronomy 12 or click here.

The Israelites are getting the directive to not only demolish everything so that none of the old ways will remain to become a hindrance or foothold for them and their future generations. They are also getting directions on what to do once the land is wiped clean. A tabula rosa, of sorts. A clean slate. Now it is time to build. They will need to find a place to set aside for the Lord.  Once they have found this place, they will only be able to offer the sacrifices to the Lord at that sacred place.

"But take your consecrated things and whatever you have vowed to give, and go to the place the Lord will choose. Present your burnt offerings on the altar of the Lord your God, both the meat and the blood. The blood of your sacrifices must be poured beside the altar of the Lord your God, but you may eat the meat."(v.26-27)

I feel kind of silly but I don't know if I ever realized that they were allowed to eat the meat. I don't know if I just always pictured the dead animal laying on the altar and then getting burned up or what but apparently I just decided to skip over the killing of the animals parts of the Bible. They were actually allowed to eat the meat but always just needed to make sure the blood was poured out because the life was in the blood. As it is written in verses 23-25, "But be sure you do not eat the blood, because the blood is the life, and you must not eat the life with the meat. You must not eat the blood; pour it out on the ground like water. Do not eat it, so that it may go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord."

We now know that God used the blood to make a way for us to come to Him. He first allowed the blood to save them in Egypt when the Israelites obediently rubbed it above their doorposts and God "passed over" their homes. Then He allowed blood sacrifices to be offered at the altar to find forgiveness for their sins. And eventually we learn that it was only through Jesus's blood, the Lamb of God, that we each would find salvation. The blood is truly the life. I find this a rather significant point to rest on in this chapter. They were going to the place where they were going to rest on seek their inheritance from God. This would only happen if they were obediently sacrificing and eating the meat but then pouring out the blood. Ironically, the way to find life was to pour out the blood, which was the life. The way we find eternal life was because Jesus bled and died on the cross and then rising again so we might know true life.

In Hebrews 10:19-23 we read, "Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful." 

Now, this was all part of the new way of living. After destroying the old ways, going to God to offer sacrifices became a vital part of life. If I want to leave my old ways behind and start creating a new way of life, I must learn how to go before the Lord in sacrifice. There have been sacrifices made during this time of lent already and there will be many more. But it doesn't end after lent. Jesus's work on the cross is truly enough to save me but if I want to walk in freedom in any area of struggle, I must lay it down to the Lord daily. I must lay my life down daily. Let us end meditating on Romans 12:1: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship."

Father, I desire to create a new way of life for myself and for my family. I know I need to not only demolish the old ways but also begin to start things anew. I know it will be hard and I know I am going to feel like giving up at times. This is why I need Your help. Help me to lay down my life and plans to You daily. Help me to wake up every morning and offer my body to You as a living sacrifice. I want to worship You with all that I am and all that I do. Thank you for giving me the desire to change. Now, please help me to do it. Amen.

Now Choose Life.