Christianity must cost you something
“But King David replied to Araunah. ‘No, I insist on paying the full price. I will not take for the LORD what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing.” (NIV) 1 Chronicles 21:24
Bible reading: 1 Chronicles 21:18-30
David needed Araunah's land to build an altar and make sacrifices onto God. Araunah offered to give the land for free. David, on the other hand, would rather pay for the land because he would not attempt making sacrifices to God which cost him nothing. This should be the slogan for Christianity. It must cost you something being a Christian. There should be something you should lose for being a Christian. We have been summoned to a life of sacrifice.
We should be prepared to discipline the heathen cravings of the flesh for the sake of righteousness. We should be ready to use our leisure periods for the purposes of spiritual activities such as evangelizing, praying and reading the bible. As a Christian, you should be ready: to give up a personal life's plan for God's will; to give your money already budgeted for some luxury for someone in need or for the work of God; to sacrifice your life if the only other option is to deny Christ. You should re-examine yourself if Christianity is so easy and comfortable for you. You may not be doing something right. You have to come out of your comfort zone and to give up that treasure that you so cherish, even your very own life for God’s sake.
Paul said he considered whatever was to his profit a loss for the sake of Christ (Phil 3:7). Peter once enquired of The Lord: ‘We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?’ (Matt 19:27). Peter and Andrew quit fishing to become apostles (Matt 4:18). That widow in Luke 24 gave all her livelihood. The apostles were martyred for the gospel.
It took costly sacrifice for foreign missionaries to bring Christianity to Africa. Dr David Livingston is a Scottish medical missionary. He left his urbanized continent and came to the then Africa which was rather crude. In Africa, his arm was torn by a lion whiles rescuing some sheep belonging to some Africans. His wife died in the process by an illness she contracted. He consequently died of malaria and dysentery. He was seen a few days after his death; cold body knelt down and in a prayer posture by his bedside. He once said: ‘I will place no value on anything I have or possess except in relation to the kingdom of Christ’. What life of sacrifice! We have received Christianity because of the cross carried by our forefathers but unfortunately, this generation has selfishly refused to be hanged on that cross. Dear reader, it must cost you something if not everything.