Not The Miracle But The Sacrifice

Throughout the late sixties and into the seventies, my best friend’s older brother would often witness to me about the Lord. This went on for six years. Over that long period of time my answers to him were, “no,” “still no,” and “you can stop now.” But he never did stop. Then on April 21st of 1973 I finally broke down and surrendered my life to Christ.

I’ll never forget one night when he first began to speak to me, how he really laid it on. He held my interest somewhat. And so, it was the following day at work, while on my morning break, that I had a very unusual experience. As I walked to the small grocery store nearby, and thought of what I’d heard the night before, I suddenly began to feel like I was about five feet above the pavement. The sensation was powerful. I was quite amazed at it all. I knew in my spirit that this had something to do with Dominic’s words to me. I then believed that God was showing me what it’s like when you become born again. My response was, “say no more, Lord; just sign me up!” Once inside the store I was feeling nothing less than invincible. I could barely take it all in. I had no reason to believe that these indescribable sensations would ever end. But they did end. As I returned to work, the bit of heaven that had fallen down upon me had very gradually begun to lift. I fought it tooth and nail, but the effort was in vain. Soon, and I could feel the hardness of the pavement beneath my feet again. As I entered my place of employment I had completely returned to my old self. I was crushed. However, I had gotten over it, passing it off as just some strange phenomenon. Sad to say, I went back on my commitment to the Lord. It would be another four to five years before I truly yielded my life to Him. In thirty-seven years as a believer I’ve never been quite as touched by the Spirit as on that day. But He lets me know that the best is yet to come.

Let me tell you of a friend I once worked with at Chicago’s city hall. His name was Luciano. He had come over from Italy. I was a new Christian at the time, and one day I decided to tell Luciano the gospel. He became very interested, but there were questions in his mind. I asked him if he’d like to talk to Dominic, who had now taken me under his wing. He was all for it. In fact, I believe he showed up there the same evening. I too went. The results were remarkable. Not only did Luciano get saved, but he was telling my friend and I of the great things that were going on inside him. He began pacing the floor and shouting aloud. Dominic had become moved, telling Luciano of how the Lord’s hand was on him in a tremendous way, and that he would do mighty things. I believe my Italian friend left there that night as high off the ground as I remembered someone else once being. Before I knew it, Luciano had gone out and purchased himself a five pound bible. He went marching all over downtown Chicago with it, telling people about Jesus. I was astonished over him. But then it began to happen, just like with me. With each passing day he seemed to cool down more and more. Finally he had returned to the same Luciano that I was introduced to some weeks before. He too had descended back down to earth. Tragic. My prayer is that the Lord, through His love and mercy, had at some time recovered him, even as He had done me.

Believe it or not, I have been introduced to millions more who have had the same experience as me and my friend Luciano. I was introduced to them through the book of Exodus. They are the entire Hebrew nation who once passed through the Red Sea on dry ground. When you talk about sensational happenings, what can top the miracle that the Almighty performed for His people on that day? Not only had they become a free nation for the first time in over four hundred years, but God had mightily interfered with nature in a way that the human eye had never witnessed. The people were no doubt beside themselves as they watched the waters cover the Egyptian army while they stood on safe ground. But when we read on, we discover that the thrill was soon gone. It wasn’t long and they were murmuring and complaining, as though the Lord had never lifted a finger on their behalf. How frail the spirit man can be. Must we ever see His hand at work, or otherwise live discontented? What’s the answer for this dilemma? Well, it hasn’t anything to do with what He reveals to us. It’s what we present to Him. And that happens from the altar - the altar of the heart. Romans 12:1 tells us to offer up the body a living sacrifice. In my opinion, few do this. We may say the words, but in reality offer Him a mere body part; a hand for instance, possibly an arm. Though I believe it is a rare occasion when God sees the entire body sacrificed. Such a one will not have to rely on the sensational to keep him on track. For in him the Lord plants everything needed for the victorious life. These rare few are of no common breed.

Every body of people set apart for a specific purpose can be divided into two groups. The larger group, for all intents and purposes, is the status quo. The second group is quite small. They are those who are of a different spirit. It was said about Caleb of old – and by his Maker – that he was of a different spirit. When Israel entered the Promised Land, he and Joshua were the only fighting men left from the generation before. That is to say that when the great majority of Israel’s army ranged from their early twenties to their late forties, Caleb was eighty-five years old, and still wielding the sword. As if that wasn’t enough, he asked Joshua to send him to the land where giants lived. What a spirit the God of Israel had put into His servant, in exchange for what I believe was the full offering up of himself.

The sensational? It is not God’s best. Neither will it be enough to keep us near to Him. But it is when He endows one with an excellent spirit. Then He has put all things into his hand. Of this I wasn’t aware when I walked five feet above the pavement. Nor did my friend Luciano understand. Neither were the Hebrews enlightened on this matter while crossing the Red Sea. But it’s men like Caleb who know the secret. It isn’t the miracle that He puts before us, causing us to stand with our mouths agape. It is what we put before Him. If it be the whole body, leaving nothing upon the altar, it is altogether precious in His sight. But what is left on the altar is in time swept away, never again to be recovered. The abandonment of the earthly man. Greater is this to God than all of heaven’s gold.


J. Pecoraro

Christ Our Champion

Among a race of fallen men
Stood One alone and Tall,
Who ran with God in paths untrod,
Twixt them there grew no wall.

He was a Stranger to our world.
Of that I need not tell.
His mission was to conquer giants-
These, sin and death and hell.

How would He war with three such foes?
Take sword and run them through?
For they were not of flesh and bone,
Who the Son was to undo.

In Spirit would the battle go,
So the enemy did err,
Taking nail and spear to run Christ through,
While laughing at the Fair.

Then they heard that it was finished,
But little did they know,
That when they drew the Precious Blood,
Life began to Flow.

It flowed out to the nations,
God's war plan from Above.
For Christ came not to win by might,
But by the Sacrifice of Love.

And soon the roar of battle ceased,
With wounds to both, it's said.
For the Son had bruised His heel
As He crushed the Serpent's head.

Victory over evil!
A New Prince upon the earth!
But for this Man and a Wondrous plan
There'd be no second Birth.

O Champion of the human race!
Who is likened unto You?
You heard the Call, You took the Fall.
And You'll make creation New.

J. Pecoraro