Weekday Devotionals
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform 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. - Romans 12:1-2
The idea of an animal sacrifice is foreign to us; barbaric even. It doesn't make sense. However, there are some very practical lessons in these words by Paul for us to ponder. If you can, try to remove your feelings about the ram, lamb, or bull about to be sacrificed and imagine it is fulfilling it's calling as a sacrifice. It does not protest the restraints used to hold it down. It does not let out a bleat, a moo, or a groan. Imagine it willfully struts to the altar, lays itself on the stone slab, and even gives off a confident smile as it realizes that it has been considered worthy to be offered before its great creator.
You see, the nature of the sacrifice is to just 'be.' It is spotless; without blemish or defect, and because it is so 'perfect' it is even set aside as worthy to be presented to the LORD; the God of all creation. The idea expressed in the phrase 'a living sacrifice' is much the same. If you have placed your trust in Christ you are a new creation. A creation without spot, blemish, or defect. A creation worthy to be presented before the LORD and this means you are set apart (holy). If you are set apart (holy) it means you are not 'lumped' in with the rest. In other words, there is something different about you. This does not mean you become arrogant, prideful, or look down on others because, again, you are a sacrifice, but it does mean you can live un-offendable. How? Because you are a sacrifice. You know your calling. You know your mission, you understand you have been set apart to bring about the love and glory of God. There is a confidence here, but there is also a responsibility here.
To be a living sacrifice means the world understands that you belong to God most High, and it is we, through His Holy Spirit, that our living sacrifice plays a unique part in putting the world right again.
Aaron L. Green
The idea of an animal sacrifice is foreign to us; barbaric even. It doesn't make sense. However, there are some very practical lessons in these words by Paul for us to ponder. If you can, try to remove your feelings about the ram, lamb, or bull about to be sacrificed and imagine it is fulfilling it's calling as a sacrifice. It does not protest the restraints used to hold it down. It does not let out a bleat, a moo, or a groan. Imagine it willfully struts to the altar, lays itself on the stone slab, and even gives off a confident smile as it realizes that it has been considered worthy to be offered before its great creator.
You see, the nature of the sacrifice is to just 'be.' It is spotless; without blemish or defect, and because it is so 'perfect' it is even set aside as worthy to be presented to the LORD; the God of all creation. The idea expressed in the phrase 'a living sacrifice' is much the same. If you have placed your trust in Christ you are a new creation. A creation without spot, blemish, or defect. A creation worthy to be presented before the LORD and this means you are set apart (holy). If you are set apart (holy) it means you are not 'lumped' in with the rest. In other words, there is something different about you. This does not mean you become arrogant, prideful, or look down on others because, again, you are a sacrifice, but it does mean you can live un-offendable. How? Because you are a sacrifice. You know your calling. You know your mission, you understand you have been set apart to bring about the love and glory of God. There is a confidence here, but there is also a responsibility here.
To be a living sacrifice means the world understands that you belong to God most High, and it is we, through His Holy Spirit, that our living sacrifice plays a unique part in putting the world right again.
Aaron L. Green
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