Sacrifice

I know it has been a while since my last post but sometimes it takes me a while to fully understand what the Lord is trying to teach me. I recently read the sermon notes from a Pastor in TX. He has a great blog. I'm still new at this blog thing so I'm not sure how to include the link but his blog is called "Hillcrest church - Pastor Mark's blog" and I have found a lot of valuable information and links from it. Back to the sermon notes...He used the story from 1 Chronicles 21:18-30. In verse 24 David says "I will not take for the Lord what is yours or sacrifice a burnt offering that cost me nothing." It reminded me of an illustration the Lord has been stirring in my heart. My children are at the age where they love to pick me dandelions.They bring them to me with huge smiles and say "look Mommy I picked you some flowers." I don't have the heart to tell them that they are actually weeds, and I always put them in a glass with some water and treat them like a priceless treasure until they die and when the kids aren't looking I throw them away. How would I feel if my husband brought me dandelions though? The same way any wife of 11 years would. I would give him that "you've got to be kidding me" look and storm out of the room. Why? Because he knows they are weeds and they didn't cost him anything. I had to ask myself, am I still bringing the Lord a handful of dandelions? Do I really expect the Lord to continue to accept an offering that has cost me nothing? Is my relationship still that shallow or is he expecting something more of me?