Offerings to God Must Cost Something

Note from today’s Bible reading: Psalm 95; 97-99; 2 Samuel 24; 1 Chronicles 21-22; Psalm 30

At the end of 2 Samuel, David sinned by taking a census of the people (2 Samuel 24:2, 9-10). He immediately realized his error in which he put his trust in military might instead of God. Yet, as a punishment for David’s sin, God sent a pestilence, and seventy thousand people died (2 Samuel 24:15).

David then went to make an offering to try to stop the plague. He came to the threshing floor of Araunah and attempted to purchase the land and animals from him for the offering (2 Samuel 24:21). Yet Araunah offered to give the king what he needed for free (2 Samuel 24:22-23).

However, David refused to accept this man’s generosity on this occasion. He said, “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price, for I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God which cost me nothing” (2 Samuel 24:24). So David bought the threshing floor and oxen, made offerings to the Lord, and the plague was stopped.

David knew that an offering that cost him nothing was not truly a sacrifice. This is important for us to remember. When we make offerings to God – of our time, money, opportunities, and even our lives – we do not do this out of convenience but out of a sincere desire to give something back to God.

So remember that offerings to God must cost something. We have to make real sacrifices to be pleasing to Him. Otherwise, we have not truly put Him first in our lives.