Bloodless sacrifices

November 2: Psalm 51; Leviticus 24


Here we go again - this is the tax collector's prayer...
(of last Sunday's gospel where Jesus tells the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector who went to the Temple to pray...)

"Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love... blot out my transgressions."

I note that Psalm 50 and Psalm 51 each speak of sacrifices acceptable to God that weren't listed in our Leviticus readings:

a sacrifice of thanksgiving (50:14, 23)

a broken and contrite heart (51:16-17)

I think there is a "thank offering" but I understand that to be different than what is referred to here. "The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me..." (50:23)

My point is mainly just to call attention to the beauty of these two bloodless "sacrifices," about both of which the psalmist says in one way or another that this is what God accepts.

Sacrifice is at the heart of worship, usually costliness is at the heart of sacrifice... is there any "cost" to thanksgiving and brokenness? Perhaps just the humility and honesty that each requires. Killing pretense and pride, slicing the throat of arrogance and self-reliance, placing the dead, lifeless ugliness of my trusting in my good works and that I'm better than others on the altar in full, exposed view... The Pharisee didn't really offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving even though those were his opening words; but the tax collector did offer a sacrifice of brokenness and contriteness.

Again I remember that I can be radically honest with God; I can bring the real me to God, that's all he really wants. The perfect sacrifice that cost everything God bore himself in his body on the cross. All I can bring now is my brokenness and my gratitude - and that is a pleasing offering to the Lord.

Those who humble themselves will be exalted,
and those who exalt themselves will be humbled.