Psalm 20:3

Psalm 20:3


Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah.


The Lord hear thee...the Lord send thee help...the Lord remember all thy offerings...

Since I've been studying with Dr. John Piper in Galations, the first thing that came to my mind when I meditated on this verse was that no amount of my offerings or sacrifices for others and for the Lord can procure any FAVOR with God. I couldn't even give MYSELF to Him until He gave me a NEW HEART. For I was once cold and DEAD with a "heart of
stone". Christ's shed blood is my only hope for salvation...for sanctification...for help...for healing.

Hallelujah! My sins are forgiven, and no more shall I sin...I am healed, and my diseases are gone...because of the blood of Christ. I do not totally see or experience it yet, but it is TRUE by faith in God's Word. Total healing may not come till I reach heaven just as sin will not be entirely gone till then...but I have much hope that I shall at least be better-just as Christ is slowly sanctifying me.

No...offerings and sacrifices will not procure FAVOR with God, yet He records and DELIGHTS IN the expressions of our love! If we are His children, He accepts our sacrifices of JOY and PRAISE and THANKSGIVNG. I don't know about you, but I find this difficult-yet by
God's grace I am learning. This is probably one of the reasons why God has allowed my sickness-to teach me THANKFULNESS. Perhaps you can relate to my prayer diary entry of Aug. 1999-

O LORD, thank-You, thank-You, THANK-YOU for these wonderful comforts that we use to take for granted! The warm shower is so nice for our tired, aching muscles; the comfortable bed and soft pillows are such a blessing for our weary, sleep-deprived bodies! And I must add,thank- You for the fan gently blowing on me as I rest here. It takes the "edge" off of the heat and noise in this heat-soaked trailer. Yes, thank-You, Lord!...In Jesus' name. Amen!

I am reminded of Heb. 13:16 also when I think of the word "sacrifice"-

"But to do good and to COMMUNICATE forget not! For with such SACRIFICES God is WELL PLEASED."

God is happy when His saints communicate and fellowship with one another around the Word of God!

I have often thought of Rom. 12:1, too-

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a LIVING SACRIFICE...",

And I have wanted to cry out, "But LORD, I'm not a LIVING sacrifice. I'm a DYING sacrifice." At least that's how I feel. I'm sure you can probably relate at times. Yet...we are still living, and our motto should be "For me to live is CHRIST, and to die is GAIN." (Phil.1:21)

The word "accept" means "to reduce to ashes". If I sacrifice and reduce myself to ugly ashes apart from Christ, it avails me NOTHING. It cannot appease an angry God who abhors sin, for I am full of sin and cannot do one thing on my own to please God. But if I sacrifice
myself to Him with "Christ in me, the hope of Glory" whose perfect, holy blood has been poured out to appease His wrath for me, I am ACCEPTED as His BELOVED and "reduced to beautiful ashes."

According to Young's Concordance, a "burnt sacrifice" is "that which goes up"! ...May our thoughts and prayers go up to God...May our praise GO UP to God...May we Go UP to God someday with great anticipation! Even now may our DELIGHTS be IN HIM that many will view Him as BIG and WONDERFUL, and may we bring Him Great JOY! Amen!