What's My Price?

Story: "David's Census Brings Pestilence"

After David sins by calling for a census, God is displeased and punishes the people. David repents and is instructed by God to build an altar on the threshing floor belonging to a man named Orman.

Orman says that David can have the threshing floor for free, but David replies, "No, I insist on paying full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that cost me nothing".

There are a few things that I like about David's reply. I like that David so often sticks to his principles in these types of situations and does the right thing, despite also doing the wrong thing on many occasions. I like to watch him thinking out loud this way about why he is choosing what he is choosing.

I also like to be reminded on a personal basis that a sacrifice isn't a sacrifice if it costs me nothing and I wonder what I am willing to sacrifice - how high a price am I willing to pay- in service to God?

And then, in a bigger way, I also like the reminder that Jesus' sacrifice for me came at the ultimate price- his own life and separation from God.

Brenda N.