Give It Up

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”

Romans 12:1 ESV

 

“Present your bodies as a living sacrifice…” I have read this verse a number of times but have never stopped to think about what it really meant.  I am supposed to offer my life as a living sacrifice it says…so I looked to see what the dictionary said sacrifice means: the surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim.”  It says that you are supposed to give up or surrender some things for a high claim.  But what, and for whom, what cause is so great that I should give up my wants or desires, those things that I want most for?  We hear these words from Jesus, “your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”  These are words from Matthew 6, as Jesus teaches the disciples how they should pray.

 

Romans 12 says that we need to offer our lives as a living sacrifice, putting God before me.  It calls us to say God your will be done, before my will, my wants, and my desires.  Sacrifice is hard, it means doing something when it would have been easier not to; helping when it would have been more convenient to leave, listening when it would have been more comfortable to not engage.  But sacrifice, and saying God your will be done is exactly what Jesus calls and directs us to do.

 

Pastor Bill

 

 

Discussion Questions

  1. What is one area that it’s hard for you to say, your will be done?
  2. Take a look at Matthew 6:5-14 as a reminder of all that Jesus calls us to pray for.
  3. Why do we struggle to say your will be done?