Fanny, reflects on the meaning of the sacrificial life.
Being a living sacrifice
The writer of this article, the Rev Robert Blasdell, and his wife,
Fanny. -- Methodist Church Archives picture.
'NO
ONE who reads the twelfth chapter of Romans can doubt the earnestness
of Paul in urging the Christians at Rome to "present your
bodies a living sacrifice", but it may be questioned whether
the Roman Christians caught the significance of that exhortation,
or what is more to the point, what meaning it conveys to the Church
today.
The Church has not lost the word "sacrifice" out of
her vocabulary, but it may be seriously questioned if she has
not in a large measure lost it out of her practice. If so, this
is a timely exhortation for the present day.
Sacrifice does not consist in mere giving. The rich men who gave
much to the temple treasury received no commendation for their
giving. They did only their duty in giving much, and perhaps not
even their full duty. The poor widow was commended, although she
gave only an insignificant amount, because her very existence
was involved in her gift - she gave all that she had.
People who seek the Christian grace of sacrifice should ponder
deeply the act of the poor widow and should not feel too well
satisfied in their giving, however large their gift, until their
giving has involved something vital to their very existence.
Sacrifice involves a keen sense of loss and pain. It is giving
when, in common language we cannot afford to do so - when to give
will deprive us of something which we actually need.
It involves a subordination of the needs of one's self to some
other person or cause, as when parents spend for themselves less
than they need in order that their children may receive an education
or when a citizen gives up some remunerative employment that he
may serve his country, or when a young man turns his back upon
a career with bright promise of material success to serve the
Church.
What, then, are we to understand by "a living sacrifice"?
If sacrifice means a giving which involves loss and pain, what
else can a living sacrifice mean than daily giving which brings
with it a sense of privation? A living sacrifice is not one that
is offered on one occasion only. That might not be so difficult
- the offering of something which would involve only momentary
paid and then free us from further responsibility. It is a perpetual
offering as long as life lasts. It is a daily denying of self,
a taking up of the Cross daily.
And our reaction? It is too high, I cannot attain unto it? Then
let us seriously examine our life and experience. Here we stand
on the threshold of Good Friday. We stand face to face with the
Cross, the symbol of sacrifice, and we are forcefully reminded
of Him who, above all other examples that might be pointed out,
was truly a living sacrifice.
Not only in the last great act of sacrifice on the cross, but
in His whole life, He exemplified this ideal of Christian living.
"For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though
He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through
His poverty might be rich."
Day by day He endured the reproaches of men and the persecutions
of His enemies when He might have escaped it all. Let us who enjoy
a sufficient supply for our daily needs consider "Him that
endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself lest ye
be wearied and faint in your minds."
We who have homes and loved ones and are surrounded with a reasonable
degree of comfort may well ponder the condition of Him who said,
"Foxes have holes and the birds of the air their nests, but
the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head."
He was the great Living Sacrifice, and may God give us at this
time as we ponder anew the depth of meaning of that sacrifice
which culminated in a cruel death on the Cross for a sinful humanity,
to catch some inspiration which will enable us to order our lives
so that, with what grace we may be able to command, we may present
our bodies a living sacrifice. Holy, acceptable unto God, which
is our reasonable service.' -- MM, April 1934, page 7.
