Romans 12:1 -> “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present/offer your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship.” (AMP version)
God desires our total obedience when we offer ourselves as living sacrifices. In Samuel 15 we read how Saul was disobedient to God when he refused to destroy all God told him to destroy when God helped the Israelites to be victorious over the Amalekites. Saul was more interested in getting a name for himself than in making a name for God through careful obedience to his word. Saul was not content with the glory of God and the honour of being his chosen king. He wanted his own glory and his own praise. The submissive path of obedience does not offer praise and glory unto us! God alone needs that kind of praise and glory!
Disobedience is an attack on God’s glory. It puts the fear of man in the place of the fear of God. It prefers pleasure in things, above pleasure in God. It seeks a name for itself instead of a name for God. It uses the wisdom of self instead of being satisfied with the will of God.
But obedience is the exact opposite -> it honours God. Everything God commands us to do, is for our own good. God delights in our obedience, and this brings us much joy too. When God commands us to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, He is telling us to offer our eyes – what we see; our ears – what we hear; our mouths – what we speak; our hands – what we do; our feet – where we go; our minds – what we think; our hearts – how we love – ALL of us as LIVING sacrifices, holy and acceptable and pleasing to Him.
Precious holy and wonderful Jesus, our Saviour and Redeemer, help us to echo the words of the following song -> “I will not offer anything that cost me nothing – I’ll place before Him nothing less than my very best. And if I’m called to sacrifice, It will be worthy of my Christ, “I will not offer anything that cost me nothing.”
Lord, please help us to offer ourselves daily to You as LIVING SACRIFICES, who are willing, obedient and longing to be used as instruments in Your powerful and caring hands in this dark world which needs Your love so much! Amen
Myrtle Turunen