Living sacrifice

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.              Romans 12.1

Paul’s first mention in this sentence is of God’s mercy. This is the all-important factor in our relationship with Him. God is most merciful and it is His mercy that enables and facilitates my relationship with Him.

Paul encourages me to offer my body as a living sacrifice. I am to “live” in the state and condition of a sacrifice. What does this mean? As I ponder the term “living sacrifice”, that is, a sacrifice that is alive and living, another phrase comes to my mind – a witness to Jesus. I see these two expressions linked. Jesus lived always and only to do the will of the Father. He looked to the Father for direction. He lived in humble obedience. Surely this was living sacrifice.

Jesus calls me to follow Him. Let me then seek to live as He lived, calling on the Father to unfold His will in my life, to lead me in the plans and purposes He has for me. I also need to give myself to live out this life to the best of my human, and weak, ability. I won’t come anywhere near Jesus in the perfection of this living sacrifice yet, I believe, as I give myself to Him, He will be merciful and tolerant with me. May my spiritual act of worship unfold daily as I seek to live in Him and with Him. I give myself to pleasing God.

Lord, Holy God,

I come before You in humility. I give myself to Your way for me. Please show me the way and lead me in it. May I follow my Lord Jesus in the manner of a living sacrifice.

I yearn to worship You with every part of my being. Show me when I’m vulnerable to the ways of the enemy. Cover me, please, with Your mercy and grace. Let me know Your protection, in Jesus’ name I ask.           Amen.