FRIDAY: I WANT TO BE AN OFFERING

Oct 7, 2022
2 min read

Lord, I desire my life to be an offering to You. Help me to daily turn my desires over to You, so You can imbed Your desires into my heart.

2 Timothy 4:6-8

For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

A drink offering was a type of sacrifice to the Lord. As Paul writes this letter, he is foreseeing his impending death (the time for my departure is near). Paul states that his life has been a sacrifice to the Lord.

He uses references of fighting and finishing the race which he has used before to describe how he has kept the faith. Just as the victor wins a trophy, Paul describes that in heaven God will reward a crown of righteousness to all who have longed for His appearing.

By longing and desiring the Lord’s return, I too can earn this crown. It requires obedience to Christ, as demonstrated by fighting the good fight, finishing the race, and keeping the faith.

When I fight, I don’t do it by myself. In fact, in every instance, Paul encourages that we use the Word of God, which is the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17), to fight our battles for us.

When I run the race, I want to run in such a way as to get the prize (1 Cor. 9:24). I will never obtain the prize by walking or running without effort. If I really want the prize, I should run in a way that reflects how much I value the prize.

THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS: I really want my life to be an offering to God. In making such an offering, I need to pour my life out to Him and turn over all my dreams, my ambitions, and my desires to God. This indicates my submission to His will and shows Him my intent and desire for Him to write my story.

I don’t do a very good job of writing my own story. It will turn out like a movie with a bad ending if I finish writing it. God has already written the conclusion of His story, and He has included me in His work.

Since God already knows my ending, He can see me crossing the finish line. He can see me finishing the fight, and He can see me keeping the faith. I desire to meet His goals for my life, so I also can obtain the crown of righteousness for the work He does in me.

Lord, I want to be an offering. Please pour me out, so I can live a life which honors You.

May you be blessed,

Chaplain Wayne Ruckman