Thought for the Day, Romans 12:1-2
"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 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 12:1-2 (NKJV)
As I'm sure you've noticed in my blog, there seems to be an underlying tone to my entries. They seem to center on questions that are essential to my journey as I walk through this life. Prayer, Worship, Choices, Living in general. Central to this is God's will for us. As a Christian this is a vital question to be answered. It is a question that every Christian must ask. Without this we have no raison-d'être. There is no direction in our lives, both spiritually and physically, without knowing this. And yet, the answer remains ever elusive.
I turn to Romans 12:1-2 (NKJV) to find the answer to my question "What is God's will for me?" How often have we prayed to God to know what His will for us is? We ask Him "Whom shall I marry?" "What job will I take?" "What church should I go to?" "How should I raise my children?" "Should I go on this mission?" And we seek God's will for us.
Yet, we miss the fact that God's will is already inside us. It is a room within the mansion of our hearts that is just waiting to be opened, begging to be discovered, desiring us to have the courage to unlock the door. We are beseeched to present our bodies to God as a living sacrifice. A living sacrifice. Think about that for a moment. We are beseeched, begged, asked urgently (American Heritage Dictionary) to present our bodies as a living Sacrifice to God. Not just our souls, not just our minds, not just our heart. Our bodies.
How do we do this? How do we present ourselves as living sacrifices? Sacrifice is not simply tithing on a weekly basis to the church. It is not about slipping an extra ten-dollar bill into the plate. Sacrifice is not about giving the weekly poker night for our kid's school play. Sacrifice is not about what we give up. By presenting our bodies as living sacrifices, we are transformed and our minds renewed into what is acceptable and perfect to God.
We all have choices everyday that we make. In every choice that we make, we have a chance to present our bodies as a living sacrifice. Think about it. Proverbs is a wealth of wisdom and knowledge. The Gospels offer a view of how Jesus lived. How we respond to an insult can be a chance to present our bodies as a living sacrifice. How we treat the man at work who never has any lunch and sits quietly alone in the cafeteria is a chance to present our bodies as a living sacrifice. How we interact with our children on a day to day basis is a chance to present our bodies as a living sacrifice. And yes, how we love and interact with loved ones is a chance to present our bodies as a living sacrifice.
Look back at Christian History and you will see many acts of faith. In Genesis 22 God calls upon Abraham to offer his son Isaac up as a burnt offering. Abraham's wife, Sarah was barren for many, many years, she even joked about having child, knowing that she could not. So, when God blessed them with Isaac you can imagine the joy and elation that they felt. And now God was commanding him to offer him up as a burnt offering. Did Abraham falter? Did he become angry? Did he refuse? Did he try to argue and "deal" with God? No. Abraham rose early the next morning and followed God's command without question.
In Isaiah 6:8, God asks "who shall go for us, who will I send?" Isaiah answers quickly "Here I am Lord, send me!" Isaiah doesn't even know what God wants him for. He has no idea where he will go, what will be waiting for him, or what lies ahead. But he goes anyway. He "presents himself as a living sacrifice." Talk about faith. Talk about worship. It is a living worship.
And by presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice we will become transformed by renewing our minds into what is good and acceptable and perfect to God. Think about it for a moment. Where is there one area in your life where you are failing. Where is one area in your life where you always stumble? Are you having trouble staying away from pornography? Are you verbally abusive? Are you cold and distant and unloving? Now I ask…as you pray for God's will and you pray for God to work in you, do you also present your body as a living sacrifice to Him?
On a very personal note, I have struggled nearly all of my life with pornography. I saw my first pornographic film when I was ten years old when my parents were out of town. It has been an Albatross around my neck ever since. Fearing Hell didn't pull me away from pornography. It pulled me away from God. I ran from God because of shame. I could not pray or ask forgiveness out of shame. It was a vicious circle.
It was not until that I continuously began offering my body up to the Lord that I was able to overcome this problem in my life. For me, it was a central threat to my spirituality, my faith and my redemption. It blocked me from God. It hindered my intimacy. But by presenting my body as a living sacrifice to God, I was able to begin putting on the "whole armor of God" (Ephesians 6:11 (NKJV)).
You see for me to be able to present myself up as a living sacrifice, I must have a close intimate relationship with God (with sexual immorality that intimacy with God is impossible). I must also quietly listen to Him. I must read His word. You know when you go "hmmmmmm, that's interesting" and you highlight a certain passage of the Bible? Guess what. That’s God speaking to you! Whether you know it or not that is God speaking to you.
When I walk everyday and listen quietly to what the Lord has to say to me. When I present my body to Him as a living sacrifice. When I look at each choice that I make and ask myself how I can use that as an opportunity to better serve and Praise Him. When I look to His word to see what road I should take. Then…then I will know God's will for me.
It is not earth shattering. It is not something found in a book, a partner or mate, in a bottle or in a sermon. When we fulfill God's will we only fulfill what was already written before we were born. We won't see it when it comes. We won't even know it's there until we have decided…But God will show us His will.
Then, all we have to do is step forth with faith and continue down the path he has provided for us.
As I'm sure you've noticed in my blog, there seems to be an underlying tone to my entries. They seem to center on questions that are essential to my journey as I walk through this life. Prayer, Worship, Choices, Living in general. Central to this is God's will for us. As a Christian this is a vital question to be answered. It is a question that every Christian must ask. Without this we have no raison-d'être. There is no direction in our lives, both spiritually and physically, without knowing this. And yet, the answer remains ever elusive.
I turn to Romans 12:1-2 (NKJV) to find the answer to my question "What is God's will for me?" How often have we prayed to God to know what His will for us is? We ask Him "Whom shall I marry?" "What job will I take?" "What church should I go to?" "How should I raise my children?" "Should I go on this mission?" And we seek God's will for us.
Yet, we miss the fact that God's will is already inside us. It is a room within the mansion of our hearts that is just waiting to be opened, begging to be discovered, desiring us to have the courage to unlock the door. We are beseeched to present our bodies to God as a living sacrifice. A living sacrifice. Think about that for a moment. We are beseeched, begged, asked urgently (American Heritage Dictionary) to present our bodies as a living Sacrifice to God. Not just our souls, not just our minds, not just our heart. Our bodies.
How do we do this? How do we present ourselves as living sacrifices? Sacrifice is not simply tithing on a weekly basis to the church. It is not about slipping an extra ten-dollar bill into the plate. Sacrifice is not about giving the weekly poker night for our kid's school play. Sacrifice is not about what we give up. By presenting our bodies as living sacrifices, we are transformed and our minds renewed into what is acceptable and perfect to God.
We all have choices everyday that we make. In every choice that we make, we have a chance to present our bodies as a living sacrifice. Think about it. Proverbs is a wealth of wisdom and knowledge. The Gospels offer a view of how Jesus lived. How we respond to an insult can be a chance to present our bodies as a living sacrifice. How we treat the man at work who never has any lunch and sits quietly alone in the cafeteria is a chance to present our bodies as a living sacrifice. How we interact with our children on a day to day basis is a chance to present our bodies as a living sacrifice. And yes, how we love and interact with loved ones is a chance to present our bodies as a living sacrifice.
Look back at Christian History and you will see many acts of faith. In Genesis 22 God calls upon Abraham to offer his son Isaac up as a burnt offering. Abraham's wife, Sarah was barren for many, many years, she even joked about having child, knowing that she could not. So, when God blessed them with Isaac you can imagine the joy and elation that they felt. And now God was commanding him to offer him up as a burnt offering. Did Abraham falter? Did he become angry? Did he refuse? Did he try to argue and "deal" with God? No. Abraham rose early the next morning and followed God's command without question.
In Isaiah 6:8, God asks "who shall go for us, who will I send?" Isaiah answers quickly "Here I am Lord, send me!" Isaiah doesn't even know what God wants him for. He has no idea where he will go, what will be waiting for him, or what lies ahead. But he goes anyway. He "presents himself as a living sacrifice." Talk about faith. Talk about worship. It is a living worship.
And by presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice we will become transformed by renewing our minds into what is good and acceptable and perfect to God. Think about it for a moment. Where is there one area in your life where you are failing. Where is one area in your life where you always stumble? Are you having trouble staying away from pornography? Are you verbally abusive? Are you cold and distant and unloving? Now I ask…as you pray for God's will and you pray for God to work in you, do you also present your body as a living sacrifice to Him?
On a very personal note, I have struggled nearly all of my life with pornography. I saw my first pornographic film when I was ten years old when my parents were out of town. It has been an Albatross around my neck ever since. Fearing Hell didn't pull me away from pornography. It pulled me away from God. I ran from God because of shame. I could not pray or ask forgiveness out of shame. It was a vicious circle.
It was not until that I continuously began offering my body up to the Lord that I was able to overcome this problem in my life. For me, it was a central threat to my spirituality, my faith and my redemption. It blocked me from God. It hindered my intimacy. But by presenting my body as a living sacrifice to God, I was able to begin putting on the "whole armor of God" (Ephesians 6:11 (NKJV)).
You see for me to be able to present myself up as a living sacrifice, I must have a close intimate relationship with God (with sexual immorality that intimacy with God is impossible). I must also quietly listen to Him. I must read His word. You know when you go "hmmmmmm, that's interesting" and you highlight a certain passage of the Bible? Guess what. That’s God speaking to you! Whether you know it or not that is God speaking to you.
When I walk everyday and listen quietly to what the Lord has to say to me. When I present my body to Him as a living sacrifice. When I look at each choice that I make and ask myself how I can use that as an opportunity to better serve and Praise Him. When I look to His word to see what road I should take. Then…then I will know God's will for me.
It is not earth shattering. It is not something found in a book, a partner or mate, in a bottle or in a sermon. When we fulfill God's will we only fulfill what was already written before we were born. We won't see it when it comes. We won't even know it's there until we have decided…But God will show us His will.
Then, all we have to do is step forth with faith and continue down the path he has provided for us.
posted by Jim at 7/26/2004 05:16:00 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home