Thursday, February 19th | Daily Devotion
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“You shall not sacrifice to the Lord your God an ox or sheep in which is a blemish or any defect whatever, for that is an abomination to the Lord your God.” –Deuteronomy 17:1
TRANSCRIPTION:
Good morning, good morning. Grace and peace be unto all of you, my Father’s children, on this wonderful Thursday morning—the Thursday after Ash Wednesday.
Our devotional Scripture today comes from Deuteronomy chapter 17, verse 1. Yesterday we were in the book of Joel, but today I want to continue in this theme of sacrifice—something familiar, yet deeply important.
Deuteronomy 17:1 says:
“You shall not sacrifice to the Lord your God an ox or sheep in which is a blemish or any defect whatever, for that is an abomination to the Lord your God.”
Throughout the book of Deuteronomy, we find rules and guidelines given to the children of Israel as they learn what it truly means to worship the Lord in spirit and in truth. These instructions often distinguish them from their pagan counterparts.
In this particular passage, God speaks specifically about sacrifice—offering something without spot or blemish. The principle embedded here is value. What you sacrifice should carry worth.
As we begin this fast, some may have said, “This is a bit of a struggle.” For others, it may not have been. But the purpose of sacrifice is to give God something of value—something that matters to you. Something that costs you.
What does it mean to offer God something that costs you nothing? Especially when we consider the gift of salvation, which cost Him the life of His Son.
God desires that we offer Him something meaningful—our time, our gifts, our focus—things that require intentionality and carry weight. Sacrifice that costs us something often reflects the depth of our devotion and the sincerity of our relationship with the Father.
So if it is challenging, if it is uncomfortable, if it stretches you—there is a sacred space in that discomfort. God honors sacrifice.
This passage reminds us not to offer what is defective or leftover. We are called to give God our best—not only in this Lenten fast, but in every area of our lives.
When we offer something to God, it should not be what we would not miss. It should not be what is convenient or secondary. We are to offer Him our absolute best.
Why? Because God has never given us anything less than His best.
So as we move through this season and even throughout today, consider this:
When we offer praise, are we giving God our best?
When we step into the sanctuary and are invited to give Him honor, are we fully present?
When it comes to our time, do we prepare carefully for everything else but approach God rushed and distracted?
Is our daily devotion something we hurry through, or something we cherish?
If we desire to move closer to God in this season, we must first identify what our best looks like—and then commit to giving it consistently.
God bless you. Have an incredible Thursday.
And before I let you go—I need you in the building tonight. Tonight at 6:30 PM, 211 DeMont Lane, Somerset, New Jersey. We are hosting our Black History Program, and we have an incredible speaker joining us.
Come out as we celebrate not only the accomplishments woven into American history, but also the ways God has shown His faithfulness—elevating us through challenging seasons that have shaped our culture and our context.
6:30 tonight. 211 DeMont Lane.
I’m Pastor Powell. I’ll see you tomorrow. God bless you.