A 31-day devotional on the topic of Sacrifice.

This month we begin a new theme on the topic of Sacrifice, which is fitting for this season as we prepare our hearts for Easter to honor and praise Jesus for His ultimate sacrifice.  

The dictionary defines a sacrifice as: “the surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim.” A secondary definition also defines sacrifice as “an act of offering to a deity something precious.”    

In simple terms, a sacrifice is something you desire that you choose to give up for a greater purpose or to a greater Person. And in reality, that’s what makes sacrificing so difficult! Because what is being given up is something valued, cherished, loved, and desirable.  

Yet because we are supposed to model our lives after Jesus’ life, we are called to sacrifice on a daily basis. But we find that God invites us to sacrifice our wants, desires, and plans in order to experience something richer, more purposeful, and more in line with His desires for us.  

However – because we are human – even when we know it’s what God wants, it doesn’t make it easier to lay down our desires and follow His plan. Thankfully, God has given us His Word to glean from. He sent others to pave the way and provide a roadmap that is both obedient and honoring to God.  

Throughout this month, we’ll learn from a few people in Scripture—Abraham, David, Paul, and Jesus—to better understand what sacrifice looks like and how we can pursue and submit to it in our daily lives. It’s not easy, but God will give us the strength to surrender, sacrifice, and put His love on display.