Sacrifice

I need to spend some time in the Word/prayer thinking about sacrifice.  So, naturally, I'm procrastinating.  (Although I did feel God smile at me and shake His head, and now I can't wait to hang out with Him this morning.)

I've been convicted about suffering and sacrificing lately.  How much do I really sacrifice?  How much do I really give back to God?  I'm not sure that I sacrifice anything.  How many hours of sleep do I lose to prayer?  How much of myself do I lay down each day.  I look around me and I see all the distractions of this wealthy country.  So much junk.  Ashes and vapor.  Here only for a flash.  Yet, I covet it.  I wrap it all up tightly in my fist and refuse to let it go.  

I have a comfortable bed, a comfortable recliner, a comfortable office chair, a computer connected to the internet, cable TV with a bajillion channels, an iPod with Facebook and Bejewelled and IMDB and iTunes Movie Trailers, and email and Twitter.  I have food piled up in my kitchen, food that will sit until it goes bad, food that isn't even really food but more of a food product filled with sugar.  I have disposable income.  Disposable.  Income that I use to entertain myself with movies, and games.  

I think about the countries where Christians are giving so much away, everyday.  Risking.  Risking everything for the Lord.  It's a habit for them.  It's what they do.  My habit is comfort, convenience.  My idol is comfort, convenience, stuff.

Stuff Mart.  (Yeah, that's right, I threw in a Veggie Tales reference.)

When do I have enough stuff?  Enough clothes?  Enough food?  Enough?  According to American Theology-NEVER.  I will never have enough.  I see the faint solidity of another world.  God washes the scales from my eyes and I see that there are places where this isn't true, places where the Truth is true.  I can't seem to escape the American consumer fog.  My brain rises out of the density only to fall back down.

The world woos me with flashy, bright, colorful, NEW things.  And I am caught.  My eyes drift.  I drift.  

If I don't do something, I'll never do anything.