Romans 12:1-2
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. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. NIV
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. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. NIV
So this one hit home this morning. Last week I watched a video of Priscilla Shirer. She talked about offering herself each day, before she got out of bed, as a living sacrifice to God. That sounded great. And this morning I happened to be lying in bed awake for awhile before I had to get up. I was praying and I told God I wanted to offer myself as a sacrifice to Him for however He could use me today. Then it hit me.
Oh no. That means He might tell me me to _______________. Weeelll, actually, according to His word, He's already told me to ______________. Oh, shoot. I'm stuck. Can't go back now that I've acknowledged it.
sacrifice: destruction or surrender of something for the sake of something else
So... the destruction of my pride for the sake of God's glory.
The destruction of my self for the sake of God's glory.
The destruction of my desires for the sake of God's glory.
The destruction of my defensiveness for the sake of God's glory.
The destruction of my guardedness for the sake of God's glory.
The destruction of my plan for the sake of God's glory.
The destruction of my self for the sake of God's glory.
The destruction of my desires for the sake of God's glory.
The destruction of my defensiveness for the sake of God's glory.
The destruction of my guardedness for the sake of God's glory.
The destruction of my plan for the sake of God's glory.
Nowhere in here does it speak of protecting myself, ensuring it's gonna work out without pain, ensuring I can save face, or guaranteeing reciprocation.
Nowhere does it say I'll be loved if I love, be served if I serve, be trusted if I trust, be accepted if I accept, be safe if I allow safety, be understood if I try to understand, be forgiven if I forgive.
Do I want to forgive if I'm not forgiven? No. Do I want to love if I won't be loved? Um, no. Do I want to accept if I'm not accepted? No way! Do I want to understand if I'm not understood? No.
But God did.
And I'm supposed to offer myself to Him, to do whatever He pleases with me. I don't know how to do this, but God does. And He'll help me, because He requires it of me.
4 comments:
ouch! Don't you love it when God gets you before you even get out of bed. :)
(because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.
Proverbs 3:12)
I've been comforting myself w/ this verse lately
sometimes it's too hard to comment, because I know the comment can't possibly be deep enough or well spoken enough or "spiritual" enough for the "well-said-ness" of your post.....!
this is one of those times....
right into the heart, you got me...!
LY MOM
Wow, doesn't it hurt when you realize things like this? Definitely good though - thanks for the reminder!
My oldest son and I are working on memorizing Romans 12 and I thank the Lord for the insight HE gave you on the first two verses. I can't wait to share them. Now to implement them into our lives.....
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