Offerings that cost me nothing...

...Are they really offerings at all?

20 Araunah looked down and saw the king and his servants coming toward him, so he went out and bowed to the king with his face to the ground. 21 Araunah said, "Why has my lord the king come to his servant?"
David replied, "To buy the threshing floor from you in order to build an altar to the Lord, so the plague on the people may be halted." 22 Araunah said to David, "My lord the king may take whatever he wants and offer it. Here are the oxen for a burnt offering and the threshing sledges and ox yokes for the wood. 23 My king, Araunah gives everything here to the king." Then he said to the king, "May the Lord your God accept you." 24 The king answered Araunah, "No, I insist on buying it from you for a price, for I will not offer to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing." David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for 50 ounces of silver. 25 He built an altar to the Lord there and offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then the Lord answered prayer on behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel ended. 2 Samuel 24:20-25
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From the lips of babes: "I love you bigger than..."

One of my daughter's favorite things in life is watching movies. She could watch the same movie two to three times in a row without thinking anything of it. And if I'd let her, she could probably be content watching movies all day long.
As I was getting ready to leave for work today, we went through our "standard procedure" for saying goodbye:
"Bye baby- see you tonight."
"Bye Daddy- hey Daddy, do you know how much I love you?"
"How much?"
Now I have to stop here for a moment and give some background information. Her usual response to this question is "bigger than the house," or "bigger than the whole. Wide. World!" About 6 months ago she threw me a curve ball and said, "I love you bigger than your work." This response alone is worthy of exploring, but I digress... :)
So back to my story-
"Daddy do you know how much I love you?" And she looks over at the tv, which is playing one of her favorite movies, and says with a big ole cute grin, "I love you bigger than the tv."
Talk about knocking your socks off! She just told me that she loved me more than her most favorite thing in the whole-wide-world! If that doesn't warm your heart, then I don't know what will!
So what's the significance? Why tell this story? I think that it is profound when a 4yr old little girl is able to communicate a correct understanding of true love, a love that esteems someone more than any other cherished thing they posses. And given to a little introspective thinking, I realize that, while I might say that I love God "bigger" than anything in my life, I often live the exact opposite, by demonstrating through the use of my time and money that things (or even my family) are "bigger" in my life than my relationship with Christ, and His transformation of my heart to reflect more of His.
As Christ followers, we all will say that we love Jesus. Let's be certain that our love is not mere lip service, but one that demonstrates that we truly love God "bigger" than anything else.
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Psalm 62:5-7

5 Rest in God alone, my soul, for my hope comes from Him. 6 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I will not be shaken. 7 My salvation and glory depend on God; my strong rock, my refuge, is in God.
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Psalm 32: Best Psalm of all, IMHO!!!

1 Davidic. A How happy is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! 2 How happy is the man the Lord does not charge with sin, and in whose spirit is no deceit! 3 When I kept silent, my bones became brittle from my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night Your hand was heavy on me; my strength was drained as in the summer's heat. 5 Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not conceal my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord," and You took away the guilt of my sin. 6 Therefore let everyone who is faithful pray to You at a time that You may be found. When great floodwaters come, they will not reach him. 7 You are my hiding place; You protect me from trouble. You surround me with joyful shouts of deliverance. 8 I will instruct you and show you the way to go; with My eye on you, I will give counsel. 9 Do not be like a horse or mule, without understanding, that must be controlled with bit and bridle, or else it will not come near you. 10 Many pains come to the wicked, but the one who trusts in the Lord will have faithful love surrounding him. 11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous ones; shout for joy, all you upright in heart.
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Perspective

4 "Lord, reveal to me the end of my life and the number of my days. Let me know how transitory I am. 5 You, indeed, have made my days short in length, and my life span as nothing in Your sight. Yes, every mortal man is only a vapor. 6 Certainly, man walks about like a mere shadow. Indeed, they frantically rush around in vain, gathering possessions without knowing who will get them. Psalm 39:4-6
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Psalm 36:5-7

Ever wonder where Third Day got their lyrics for "You Love Oh Lord"?

5 Lord, Your faithful love reaches to heaven, Your faithfulness to the skies. 6 Your righteousness is like the highest mountain; Your judgments, like the deepest sea. Lord, You preserve man and beast. 7 God, Your faithful love is so valuable
that people take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.
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what is deep, high, long & wide?

God's Love.
This song by Jami Smith will mess you up. Well worth the buck or two you have to pay to download from itunes or amazon.

Your love is deep
Your love is high
Your love is long
Your love is wide

Deeper than my view of grace
Higher than this worldly place
Longer than this road I travel
Wider than the gap You filled

Who shall separate us
Who shall separate us from Your love
Nothing can separate us
Nothing can separate us from Your love

In case you were wondering...

8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and full of faithful love. 9 He will not always accuse us or be angry forever. 10 He has not dealt with us as our sins deserve or repaid us according to our offenses. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His faithful love toward those who fear Him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.
Psalm 103:8-12

Couldn't have said it better myself

Even if I tried :). Psalm 19- hard not to read something like this and not wish that I had the wisdom and insight to write something so wise, so humble, so profound that it even moves the hearts of men and women towards God's heart thousands of years later. Thank You Lord- Your words are better than life! Give us discernment and conviction to put these teachings of yours into practice, and as we do so, may they consume us and transform our hearts. May eyes of our hearts be opened to see as You do, and may we be moved to use our remaining days wisely, for Your Namesake, for Your purposes, to find joy and contentment in doing the good works that you have prepared in advance for us to do, before there was time.

Psalm 19
1 For the choir director. A Davidic psalm. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky proclaims the work of His hands. 2 Day after day they pour out speech; night after night they communicate knowledge. 3 There is no speech; there are no words; their voice is not heard. 4 Their message has gone out to all the earth,
and their words to the ends of the inhabited world. In the heavens He has pitched a tent for the sun. 5 It is like a groom coming from the bridal chamber; it rejoices like an athlete running a course. 6 It rises from one end of the heavens and circles to their other end; nothing is hidden from its heat. 7 The instruction of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy, making the inexperienced wise. 8 The precepts of the Lord are right, making the heart glad; the commandment of the Lord is radiant, making the eyes light up. 9 The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are reliable and altogether righteous. 10 They are more desirable than gold- than an abundance of pure gold; and sweeter than honey- than honey dripping from the comb. 11 In addition, Your servant is warned by them; there is great reward in keeping them. 12 Who perceives his unintentional sins? Cleanse me from my hidden faults. 13 Moreover, keep Your servant from willful sins; do not let them rule over me. Then I will be innocent,
and cleansed from blatant rebellion. 14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to You, Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.