Let Me Be A Sacrifice -- Daniel Gardner

Below in his own words is the story from Dan Gardner on how he came to write the song “Let Me Be A Sacrifice” in 1980-81. Notice what he shares about sacrifices, including those in the Old Testament (like one offered by Abel, see the picture here). Dan lives in the southeastern Michigan (Detroit) area. Thanks for sharing Dan!

Enjoy this fresh scoop fellow worshipers!

I began in full time worship ministry in 1980. The song “Let Me Be A Sacrifice” came to me as a result of personal devotion time with the Lord and around the time of writing and producing a worship musical called “The Ark and the Dove”.

The theme of the musical was to communicate how Jesus Christ became the Final Sacrifice; He paid the ultimate price that we might become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus through salvation. The “Ark of the Covenant”, God’s presence, was approached once a year under the Old Covenant. The “Dove”, the Holy Spirit, God’s presence with us here and now, lit upon Jesus at His baptism. God identified Jesus to all present that day and set the course for His ministry on earth.

In the Old Testament, confession for atonement meant blood sacrifice. Under the New Covenant, we now praise (confess, profess, proclaim) the greatness of the One who saved and redeemed us.

As I meditated on Romans 12:1 (I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service) and Hebrews 13:15 (Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name), the melody and lyrics to Let Me Be A Sacrifice became my prayer and praise to God.

Let me be a sacrifice, holy and acceptable;

Let me be a sacrifice, consumed in Your praise.

Let me be a sacrifice, holy and acceptable;

Let me be a sacrifice, worshipping Your Name.