Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.
As Christ-following servants, we are called to be a living sacrifice. The picture behind “sacrifice” is literally the image of the animals that were slain and put on the fire symbolizing the shedding of blood to pay the penalty for sin. Of course Jesus became the final sacrifice, shedding His innocent blood on our behalf so that God could declare us innocent of our sin.
While we don’t literally shed our blood as a sacrifice, as Christians we are to shed our pride, shed our self-focus, shed our selfish ambitions, shed our worldliness – all as a holy and pleasing sacrifice to God. Like Jesus, who took up His cross to save us, we are to take up our “cross” as Christ-imitating servants and daily follow Him wherever He leads.
Oh, and by the way, if you think that sounds like you’re losing your life and giving up everything… you are. Losing your life in exchange for God’s, is the only way to find real life, eternal life. And God gives us back true Life both in this lifetime, and in the eternal life to come.
Are you a living sacrifice? Do you even want to be one? Are you willing to be one?
Blessings,
Brent