A Willing Sacrifice Moments with God, Vol. 159
Her father had returned! Grabbing her tambourine, she ran out the door with a dance of joy. Rather than the return of joy and laughter, a mournful cry filled the air. Anguish tore through Jephthah’s soul as his strong grip tore at his clothing.
“Oh, my daughter!” he cried out. “You have completely destroyed me! You’ve brought disaster on me! For I have made a vow to the Lord, and I cannot take it back.” (Judges 11:35 NLT)
Slightly taken aback at this unexpected turn of events, Jephthah’s daughter took a calming breathe. “Father, if you have made a vow to the Lord, you must do to me what you have vowed.” (Judges 11:36) She realized her life had just changed forever.
Though Jephthah was assured God would be with him in the Ammonite battle, he vowed to the Lord he would sacrifice whatever came out of his house upon return with victory. Little did he know the sacrifice would be his only daughter. Compelling arguments have been made to indicate whether his daughter’s sacrifice was her life or the sacrifice of her future. While not knowing for certain, the fact remains, Jephthah’s vow called for sacrifice. His daughter was willing to fulfill that vow.
When you sacrifice, you are called to give up something of great value for a higher purpose or cause, out of love for another. In rashly offering his vow to God, Jephthah would put an end to his daughter’s dreams of being a wife and mother. A reckless vow led to costly sacrifice, yet Jephthah’s daughter was firm in her resolve to fulfill it. The love Jephthah had for God was mirrored in herself. Having deep respect for her father, she knew him to be a man of integrity and she loved him. Willing submission led her to sacrifice what meant most to her.
Still, with willingness comes difficulty, and she asked for time. Heaviness filled her heart as she grieved her loss. Asking for two months away, the daughter of Jephthah and her friends headed for the hills where emotions would be calmed into acceptance. A rash vow had changed their family plans, but upholding truth was of greater importance than the husband and family Jephthah’s daughter always dreamed of.
Different situations in life call for sacrifice. We may be asked to give up time, money, sleep, relationships, or maybe dreams all for the better good of another. Some sacrifices are harder than others, and some we find we are not willing to make.
When you are willing to give up what means much to you, you put others above yourself. You make what they need more important than your own needs, even when it is great cost to you.
Sacrifice is never easy. It wasn’t meant to be. When you look beyond what you are giving up to what you are giving for another, the cost of your sacrifice seems much less. Your willing gift offers love to another’s need, and with that, God is well pleased.