Worth the Cost

Sarah died in Kiriath-arba

(that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan;

and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah

and to weep for her.

Genesis 23:2

Abraham is seeking a burial place for his wife, Sarah. In his search, we see how those who walk with God and honor Him receive respect even from those who do not know Him as their God. In Abraham’s respect of God, Abraham respected other people. He kept himself humble before others and allowed God alone to exalt him. First Peter 5:5–6 declares, “All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time.”

Abraham did not think highly of himself because of his relationship with God, and he did not consider those who did not serve the Lord Most High as lesser than he. Oh church, let us not get too big for our britches.

Abraham refused to allow Ephron the Hittite to simply give him the land. He would pay the price of the land. I am reminded of David as he stood at the threshing floor of Araunah and said, “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price, for I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God which cost me nothing” (2 Samuel 24:24).

How many in the church feel they are owed something? How many walk through the doors of the sanctuary with their lists of “I wants” and hold their years of service and their tithes given as a badge of entitlement? How many have this attitude that God now owes them something because they said yes to His free gift of salvation?

This gift is free to us because someone else paid the price. God was willing to give us His everything. We should also be willing to give Him our everything. We should have the same spirit in us that was in the church in Corinth when Paul wrote that they were “begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints” (2 Corinthians 8:4).

When was the last time you went to church and begged your pastor for the favor of participation somewhere in the church? When was the last time a person, a cause, or an organization touched your heart and you begged them for the favor of supporting them? When has your offering to God cost you something?

Abraham would not dishonor Sarah, the mother of nations, by burying her in a cave that cost him nothing. He would also take no chances in losing this precious place; it would be his by right. Abraham was a man who had learned that true love was shown through the sacrifice of one’s own self.

Jesus did not dishonor His bride. He bought her at a price. She was His by right. He demonstrated His love for His bride by the sacrifice of Himself. Let us also demonstrate our love for our Savior. “We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 John 3:16).

Oh Father,

That I might humble myself before You and before others and allow you alone to do the exalting. That I might honor You in all that I do, think, and say. Today and forever, might I not consider myself as more highly than I ought, but know that it is only by Your amazing grace that I am able to stand. Might I respect all people and see them all through Your eyes, knowing that You died for all, just as You died for me. Help me to walk in a way that displays Your unconditional love and Your lack of partiality to all people. May I humble myself, that You might be exalted and draw the lost into Your saving grace.

My Jesus, it is in Your name I pray,

Amen.