Pastor's Ponderings, July 5, 2022

How Will You Respond To The Call For Sacrifice?

In a year where selfish acts seem to dominate the media, Bethany Hines wrote an article about a man who saved a young boy from drowning on Saturday, June 23, 2018.  She wrote, “Even though he couldn't swim, Victor Mozqueda jumped into a raging river to save a 5-year-old boy from drowning. He rescued the boy, but died in the process.”  He was risking his own life, “But Mozqueda never let go of the child.”  How many of us would be willing to lose our lives to save someone else?  

The Bible says that there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for your friend (John 15:13).  Mr. Mozqueda’s sacrificial act of love was unbelievably awesome, but Jesus gave His life for the entire world (1 John 3:16). God so loved the entire world that ignored Him, mocked Him, and made idol gods to worship.  In spite of this, God gave His Son, Jesus, to deliver us from eternal damnation so that we could have eternal life (John 3:16).

Most of us will never have to lay down our natural lives for others, but how many of us will give up our precious time for others?  How many of us will go out of our way so that others can have decent meal or babysit their children so that they can see a movie in peace? How many of us will become active in civic life to champion a cause rather than complain about our political leaders? The Bible says that we are to present our bodies a living sacrifice to God (Romans 12:1).  He wants us to give our lives to Him so that He can work through us to bless the world.  

When the prophet Isaiah saw a vision of God, He heard a voice asking who will go and work for God and he agreed that he would go (Isaiah 6:8).  God is looking for those who will give their lives sacrificially for His cause to help those in need, to put others before ourselves and to allow God to use us.  Victor Mozqueda answered his call.  Will you?

John 15:13
New International Version (NIV)

13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

1 John 3:16
New International Version (NIV)

16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

John 3:16
New International Version (NIV)

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Romans 12:1
New International Version (KJV)

12 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service

Isaiah 6:8
New International Version (NIV)

8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”