Choose Sacrifice

Bible Study

Hebrews 13:16 ESV

There was a time when I was younger and had children at home when this verse really hit home.

I read this verse and I accepted it but I didn’t expect God to give me a test on it.

Hebrews 14:16 says, “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”

One evening about the time I was finished cooking dinner we had a woman drive up to our house and come to the door. We lived in a church parsonage and everyone in town knew where to find us.

The woman had several small children in the car. She came to the door and she told me her children were hungry and they hadn’t eaten anything all day. She asked me if I had any food I could share.

I had fixed fried steak, potatoes, a vegetable, and we even had homemade bread. There were homemade cookies for desert.

I told her if she could give me a minute I could bring some food out to her car.

Bible Study

I wrapped all the food I’d cooked (even the cookies) and took all of it to her.

Then I had to face my own hungry children who just watched me give away their dinner.

I wasn’t.

They reminded me the children in the car were very hungry.

Yes…I know you are hungry as well. I’ll find something to cook. I don’t remember what we ate that night but it was probably hamburgers and fries. We always had ice cream for dessert.

I did replace the meal.

My children were not really happy about having to wait but I knew I could thaw the hamburger out quickly because I always had hamburger patties in the freezer.

As we ate the replacement meal I was asked why I gave their dinner away.

The simple truth was that God sent the woman to my house and God had provided the food.

It was my defining moment. I knew what God wanted me to do and I did it.

God also provided the second meal we ate that night.

Deborah

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