To Serve The Lord Faithfully...

Those who know Jessica Buchanan describe her as a woman with a strong Christian faith and a big heart for Africa. The 32-year-old missionary was working with a Danish aid group. She sold nearly all her possessions to become a missionary in Somalia.

She was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and in 2007 she attended Valley Forge University, a Christian college in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. While student teaching in Nairobi, she felt the call to help spread the gospel to Africa. "She absolutely fell in love with Africa, said Dr. Don Meyers, the university's president.

"Africa grew around her heart or her heart grew around Africa. She could hardly talk about Africa without getting tears in her eyes," Meyers said. Her brother, Stephen Buchanan, said she understood the risks of working in that part of the world. "Someone from their own team turned against them and divulged information that made them susceptible to being kidnapped," he explained.

Somali pirates kidnapped Buchanan and her Danish co-worker, Poul Hagen Thisted, 60, in Galkayo, Somalia, on Oct. 25, 2011. The two worked together for the Danish Demining Group, a division of the Danish Regugee Council.

Buchanan has been described by her friends as a compassionate woman with a strong desire to serve the Lord and help others. "Jessica is the kind of [person who] would continue to pray for them and try to bring them to Lord rather than just leave. And I'm sure if anything, her faith sustained her," said Roy Merrill, Buchanan's former high school teacher.

"She loves kid's and she loves to help people and that's the reason she was over there -- just to help," said Dave Buchanan, Jessica's uncle.

What are we willing to sell and risk for the Gospel of Jesus?
-CBN News, January 27, 2012, Efrem Graham

An important principle taught in the New Testament is that of "The Priesthood Of All Believers." It is true that under the Law of Moses there was a distinction made between priests the common people. Even today, many religions professing to be "Christian" have developed a clergy-laity distinction. But the New Testament teaches otherwise (Revelation 1:5-6; 1 Peter 2:9).

The fact is, in Christ we are ALL "clergy," I have said that we had no clergy in the church, but in reality we have no "laity." Does this mean WE are all free to use "clergy-parking"? I'll let you discuss that with the security guards at the hospitals!

As "a royal priesthood", our responsibilities are described in 1 Peter 2:5." to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." My goal today is to make sure that we understand our duties as "a holy priesthood" and to encourage us to carry them out faithfully.

Let's take a closer look at the idea of "spiritual sacrifices." Some types of sacrifices to be offered by Christians are:

1. Our bodies, as "living sacrifices" (Romans 12:1-2)
2. A lifestyle characterized by sacrificial love (Ephesians 5:1-2)
3. Praise and thanksgiving, which we do in prayer and song (Hebrews 13:15)
4. Doing good and sharing with others (Hebrews 13:16; Philippians 4:15-18)
5. Even in the way we die for the Lord! (Philippians 1:20; 2:17; 2 Timothy 4:6)

What is the purpose of these sacrifices? In the Old Testament, sacrifices were offered for one of two reasons. For those OUT of fellowship with God, to restore them back to the Lord; and for those IN fellowship with God, to express thanksgiving, praise, love and devotion.

But in the New Testament only Jesus can provide the sacrifice needed to restore us back to God (Hebrews 10:11-18). Therefore, it should be clearly understood that our sacrifices are not to "remove sin" or in any other way to try to "earn our way" into heaven! Rather, to express thanksgiving and praise, love and devotion, for the goodness and mercy God has shown to us!

Such is the nature of the "spiritual sacrifices" we offer to God. But as our scripture reference for today (1 Peter 2:5) says, they must be "acceptable to God". We can learn some valuable lessons from the Book of Malachi about what constitutes "acceptable sacrifices."

Here's what is acceptable...

A. It must be acceptable to God (Malachi 1:6-8). Otherwise we despise the Name of God by offering "defiled food." Would we render the same kind of service to our employers, etc.? If is not acceptable, God would rather someone "shut the doors" or let someone else serve Him (cf. Malachi 1:9-11).

B. It must be offered with sincerity and zeal (Malachi 1:12-13). Lack of zeal is evidence of lack of sincerity! Lack of both results in offering "blemished sacrifices", which brings a curse from Him who deserves proper reverence (Malachi 1:14-2:9). How does this apply to our spiritual sacrifices..? Like singing praises; or doing good to others, just to mention a few!

C. It must be offered in conjunction with righteous lives (Malachi 2:13-16). The priests of Malachi's day had been quick to divorce their wives. Even Peter taught that the treatment of wives would have a bearing on the effectiveness of prayers (1 Peter 3:7). This can be applied to many other things as well (Psalm 41:1-3).

In closing, some in Malachi's day did not think it of any value to serve the Lord faithfully (Malachi 3:13-15). But others heeded his words, and it is touching to read what was said about them (Malachi 3:16-18).

Shall we be among those who serve God? May we never forget that in the sight of God we are to be "a royal priesthood", called to offer "spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ"! May God help us to truly be one of His "jewels"!

Let us pray:

Lord, I am Yours. Whatever You ask of me, I will do. Wherever You send me, I will go. Amen

***UPDATE: Jessica Buchanan was rescued by U.S. Navy SEALS in Somalia last month and was reunited with her family. U.S. military forces also rescued 60-year-old Danish hostage Poul Hagen Thisted, according to the Associated Press.

God bless you!

Miranda