We are only seven days into the Lenten season and the Lord has already taught me a very valuable lesson. Several months ago if you had asked me if I considered myself legalistic I would have answered with an astounding, "No, not me, I try my best to be led by the Spirit." Though I fail at many times, being Spirit led has been my goal. However, the Lord revealed much to me just this past week.Before I begin my testimonial on this lesson, please allow me to share one more story with you about my three year old. Within the last six months she has become well potty trained. We had many times of frustration during these months and on many occasions have found ourselves "squaring off" at the potty. Over a week ago we had just one of those times. She was dancing around the room doing what many of us moms call the "pee pee dance." I just knew she had to go to the potty. However, she didn't want to stop what she was doing to go. Both of our heads became harder each time I told her to go to the potty. Finally I said to her, "Go sit on the potty and prove to mommy you don't have to go." She was up for the challenge. She marched her little self into the potty and pulled down her pants and sat on the potty. I knelt in front of her knowing at any second I would win this stand off. However, she sat for several minutes and didn't go. I thought to myself, "well, maybe she really didn't have to go." So then I told her, "Okay, you can get off, I guess you were right." So up she hopped. Pulled up her pants and stood there. She then looked at me and said, "Now Mommy, I'll go to the potty." So she hopped back on the potty and with a grin on her face she went to the potty. As she looked at me and continued to grin, I could do nothing but laugh to myself. Her hardheadedness was inherited. Inherited straight from me.
And my hardhead was about to learn a lesson from the Lord. When the Lord revealed to me that I was being legalistic I couldn't believe it. The lesson began when I petitioned the Lord as to what He wanted me to give up for Lent. He told me He wanted more of my time and to give more time during my morning devotional. This didn't seem like a sacrifice to me. I enjoyed my time with the Lord and for me to get up even earlier to spend more time with Him wasn't a sacrifice. Therefore, even though Lent hadn't started I began my sacrifice immediately. Several days went by and I thought, "This doesn't seem right - I need to sacrifice more to the Lord." So I petitioned Him again saying, "Lord, in the past You wanted me to sacrifice food or drink. Isn't there something in that area I should sacrifice to You." He then told me to only drink water as my drink. So I was satisfied. I finally had received the "right" sacrifice request from Him and I settled in my mind it must be because of my addiction to caffeine that He requested this. It didn't take long into the days of drinking only water for me to realize how much I was addicted to caffeine. I had a horrendous headache, body aches and I was a Bear with a capital B to live with!! My husband commented to me, "Are you sure the Lord wanted you to do this? It is causing so much stress on the family." I ignored this comment from the man the Lord had put as my spiritual leader. He certainly didn't understand. So I continued several more days with my sacrifice. I was doing it unto the Lord afterall - or was I?
Yesterday my children received a lot of growling from the bear. They looked at me with those little eyes of not understanding and I knew that I had to petition the Lord for help. What was I doing wrong? This sacrifice to the Lord was causing such hardship on the family. So after my children and husband went to bed I fell upon my knees to God, "Lord, help me!! If this sacrifice is not what You want, let me know. But if I just need to pull more strength from You, help me to do so and overcome." Immediately He sent me to Leviticus 10:1-3 where Aaron's sons had altered the sacrifice to the Lord and in doing so the Lord consumed them in fire. The personal message to my heart was clear and my heart began to ache. I had requested from the Lord an "altered" sacrifice. The Lord then told me, "Kelly, I told you the sacrifice I wanted. The sacrifice of time. But you weren't happy. So I gave you your request so you can learn this lesson." My eyes immediately opened - I was being legalistic!! I couldn't believe it - not me! Then His Scripture came to mind and fed my soul, "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." I realized at that moment that I was focusing more on the sacrifice and not on pleasing God to bring Him glory.
So I ask you, what is your focus today? Are you bringing the Lord glory in all that you do? Are you sacrificing to Him what He wants or are you stuck in your own legalistic ways? Our purpose on this earth is to glorify the Lord. We should do what is pleasing to Him - even in our sacrifices. Draw your focus towards pleasing Him today!
Prayer: Heavenly Father, please point out to me where I am taking my eyes off You. I don't want to focus on my chosen sacrifices. I want to focus on the sacrifices that please You. Help me Lord to be more like the Philippians, who through their sacrifices given to Paul brought a sweet fragrance that was pleasing to You. I pray this as Jesus would pray. Amen.
