“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.” Romans 12:1 (NKJV)
Paul asks us to give God our bodies as a living sacrifice. What does that look like? Well, Paul starts out by letting me know that what he’s asking, I can’t give on my own. It is only by the mercies of God. Too often I’ve thought that if I just try harder. If I could force myself to make the right choices in all situations, then … maybe … but I can’t. I need to accept God’s gift for the power to complete the tasks presented in the rest of this verse.
Ok, the next part, Paul is telling me that I need to yield up my body as a living sacrifice. That’s not dying as a martyr. That’s living in such a way that I may make choices that I think are giving up something I want to do God’s will. Most times it is harder to live the Christian life than it is to die a martyr’s death.
Thinking back over my life, I can easily remember times when I would act very immature in my Christian walk. I wanted to do things my way or not at all. That was not presenting myself as a living sacrifice to God. I haven’t reached full maturity in this aspect, but I’m working on it daily. In recent years I’ve tried to start each day with a prayer, asking God what He wants me to accomplish for that day. Then I ask Him to provide me with whatever I need to follow His will for that day. I can’t pray that prayer once a year, once a month or even once a week. It is a prayer that many times I have to pray multiple times throughout the day – praying each time the Holy Spirit convicts me that I’m not following God’s will for that day and surrendering my choices to harmonize with God’s.
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2 (NKJV)
Part of the maturing process includes having the Holy Spirit renew my mind. My thought processes need to be changed so that I can perceive what God’s will is in any situation. I need God’s help to change my mind, my thought processes.
Listen as Prince of Peace sings “Renew My Life, Lord Jesus.”
Published on MyBibleRoom.com 12/30/24, 6:00 am