If you are looking to feed and challenge your faith, visit
Crosswalk.com's Spiritual Life Channel at:
http://spiritual.crosswalk.com
-----------
T O D A Y    G O D    I S    F I R S T
                  Marketplace Meditations
                       by Os Hillman

Sacrificing at What Cost

..."I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that
cost me nnothing."
- (2 Samuel 24:24)


One day I was having lunch with a man who had a certain amount of
notoriety in his life. After a time of getting to know each
other, he said, "How can I help you?" Those words surprised me
coming from a man who obviously already had many requirements on
his time. My first thought was that I was impressed with the
individual. My next thought was to wonder whether it was a
genuine offer or just an effort to impress me with his humility
and Christian piety. I have since discovered he was sincere.

This encounter reminded me that each of us must be willing to
give to others without a motive to get anything in return. It is
simply an act of serving others. Jesus said that we must consider
others more important than ourselves. When is the last time you
did something for another without a motive of getting anything in
return?

When King David came to offer a sacrifice and pray for the
removal of a plague on Israel, he was given the opportunity to
make the sacrifice without the cost of purchasing the sacrificial
animals.

But the king replied to Araunah, "No, I insist on paying you for
it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that
cost me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the
oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them. David built an
altar to the Lord there and sacrificed burnt offerings and
fellowship offerings. Then the Lord answered prayer in behalf of
the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped (2 Samuel
24:24-25).

David, understanding the principle of giving, said he could not
offer anything to God that did not cost him something. Otherwise,
it was not a sacrificial gift.

When is the last time you sacrificed for another that it cost you
something with no expectation of getting anything in return? We
can all give something to others, such as our time, our money, or
our expertise. This is real Christianity that models the Spirit
of Christ. The next time you meet with someone, why not consider
how you might be a blessing to that person. Why not ask, "How can
I help you?"

Published and distributed by Crosswalk.com, this daily devotional is
written by Os Hillman (os@marketplaceleaders.org).  Os is president of
Marketplace Leaders, an Atlanta based ministry teaching Biblical
principles for career and business success.  He offers a FREE newsletter
and other resources at:
http://www.marketplaceleaders.org

Order "TGIF: Today God I s  First" - 365 daily meditations to motivate
and inspire for $17 for TGIF subscribers. Click here to order:

http://www.marketplaceleaders.org/displayroom/skudetail.nhtml?uid=10055

To support Os Hillman  & Marketplace Leaders , click:
 https://nhf.org/applications/donate.htm?FDN=Marketplace%2BLeaders

Mail: 3520 Habersham Club Drive, Cumming, Georgia 30041 USA.


____________________SUBSCRIPTION INFO_______________________

* You subscribed to Marketplace Meditations as:
         < jeff.king@enron.com >
* To unsubscribe from this newsletter immediately, click here:
         < http://link.crosswalk.com/UM/U.ASP?A3.12.261895 >
  If that link is not clickable, simply copy and paste it into
  your browser window.
* To change your address:  unsubscribe your old address
  and then subscribe your new address.
* To subscribe, send an email to:
  < SUBSCRIBE-marketplace@lists.crosswalk.com > or go to
  < http://www.crosswalk.com/lists > for a complete list of
  our newsletters.
* Copyright ? 2001 Crosswalk.com, Inc. and its Content
  Providers. All rights reserved.

____________________________________________________________