My Sacrifice

A husband should love his wife as much as Christ loved the church and gave his life for it. He made the church holy by the power of his word, and he made it pure by washing it with water. Christ did this, so that he would have a glorious and holy church, without faults or spots or wrinkles or any other flaws. (Ephesians 5:25-27)

I am learning to play the song, My Sacrifice, written by vocalist Scott Stapp and guitarist Mark Temonti. Stapp wrote the lyrics, which reflect his personal journey through addiction recovery and self-reflection, while Tremonti composed the music. This song was performed by the band Creed and was released on their album Weathered in 2001. As I played the song with the Youtube video, I for the first time began to look at each word as I studied the chords, strumming and picking on the acoustic version of the song.

Scott writes:

'Cause when you are with me, I'm free

I'm careless, I believe

Above all the others, we'll fly

This brings tears to my eyes

My sacrifice

For some reason, i went into my memory of vows at a wedding and so I pulled out the Pastor's Manual written y J.R. Hobbs in 1934. He uses this line in wedding vows, "Do you take (name) to be your lawfully wedded (husband or wife) and do you solemnley swear before God and these witnesses that you will love, honor and keep (him/her) in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others keep thee only unto (him/her) so long as you both shall live? "

Maybe this connected, in my memory, because I was listening to an interview with a person on the radio and I heard the person say, "I would be blessed beyond life if God gave me a partner who loved Him more than they loved me." What an incredible statement of faith and belief in the sovereignty of God and a reflection of how deep our faith should be. As I look at those verses and those vows, I take it into a different area than just forsaking all other men and women. For a marriage to work, it means giving up so much more than just other relationships. It may mean giving up a habit, a lifestyle, an addiction, a way of life that is contrary to the relationship. It may mean giving up time, energy and distractions that can interfere with that relationship so that attention, love and honor become the focus of that relationship rather than what and how we used to live. I often hear from couples that are having relationship issues that they just "lost each other in the "busyness" of life or that one person changed and other person remained in the same place. It is sad and heartbreaking to see that because the potential of that relationship gets put aside for other things.

As we look as these verses in Ephesians 5, while it often used to describe marriage and to tell women that they are to submit to their husband, there is so much more that we have to understand in this passage. This actually describes the relationship that peope should have with Christ and this scripture is most often used to describe the church as the bride of Christ. This is the sacrifice that Christ made for us. This is the sacrifice that he also asks of us. Can we truly put Christ first in our lives or do we still hold on to that piece of us that interferes in that relationship. That sacrifice that we make to Christ isn't bodily, however many have been martyred, but it is a sacrifice of the will. Can we forsake our ego, our lifestyle, our time, our energy, our hopes and dreams, our way of life, our money, our material desires, our anger, our desire for retribution and revenge and yes, even our relationships to him. Can we look at the vows of a marriage and apply them to our relationship with Christ. Can we say that we "forsake all others and keep only unto to Him." It isn't about just forsaking things, it is forsaking the desire to live as we choose rather than the way that He wants for us.

I struggle sometimes in my very spirit with this idea of "I." Christ sang the very word of the song by Creed on the cross, when He spoke His last word. "Tetelestai." That word was used in ancient times to indicate a task, debt, or sentence was completely finished. In other words there is no more debt to be paid. He forsake all things for us on the cross and can we look at our own relationship with Him and say that we have finished the debt to this world. Can we look at the words of the song and say, "when you are with me, I am free" and end with "my sacrifice." They say that the "cost of success comes by sacrifice," and many of us know that concept. We work hard and sometimes long hours to be successful. We may work and go to school at the same time, sacrificing time to kids, families and yes, even things. This is call to give up "what was," to what "will and can be." Romans 12:1-2 says, "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

Notice it says, "living sacrifice." In other words let us take the vow to Christ just as we would a partner. Let us be able to say in the end when we stand before judgment that we have been a "good and faithful servant." (Matthew 25:21) Let us strive to forsake all other things that will interfere with loving and honoring Him so that He can present us "without faults or spots or wrinkles or any other flaws."

John 15:13 says, "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." Life is so much more than breathing and maybe that is what Christ is really referring to in this passage. Can we give up all that makes up our life. Can we give up the "I" to become the true bride of Christ.

Much love,

Preach

John 8:36 -If the Son sets you free, you are indeed free.