1 Chronicles 21 Devotions by Stephen Taylor

1 Chronicles 21:24

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."

I love David's heart-response here. David knew that it was more about the heart behind the gift than the gift itself. He knew that to honor and worship God correctly, it would cost him; do we? This walk with Christ is the most blessed journey one can be on, but it is also the costliest. It will cost us time, friends, money, worldly pleasures, and maybe even family. But there is one more thing it will cost us, our eternity. We have to keep in mind that we are only here for a moment but can be with Him for all time.

David's heart-posture wasn't focused upon the finite but the infinite God whom he served. Too often and too easily, we get lulled to sleep by the enemy and this world, and then all of a sudden, something happens that costs us, and we are caught off guard; we wonder why or what we have done to deserve this.

But what if we just went into this walk with Christ with the mindset that it's gonna cost. At some point and in some way, it's gonna cost us. How much stronger could we be in Him? Instead of asking the question "why," we could be saying, "How much do you want?" This would not only prepare us for the journey but strengthen us for it, all the while giving God the glory! This willingness to surrender all to Him isn't an option a must. Why do we try to hold onto what little we have when He has so much more for each and every one of us:! It's gonna cost, but will we pay?

2 Timothy 2:3- Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:13,14- Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

God bless! I love you all, but His love counted and paid the cost! Glory, honor, and praise now and forever to Papa God, Jesus Christ our King, and the Holy Spirit!