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.
Romans 12:1
Is That Logical?
Daily Devotion – November 21, 2023
Devotion based on Romans 12:1
See series: Devotions
Which is harder? Loving your spouse one day or one hundred days in a row?
Obeying your parents one day or one hundred days in a row?
Forgiving someone once or forgiving that same person one hundred times?
Putting the needs of others before yourself once or one hundred times?
I think you know the answer. But why do I ask? Because doing those types of things is what Paul, the writer of the book of Romans, says is the way you worship God. More than that, he says it is your true and proper worship. A more literal way to say it would be your logical worship. “Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice,” he says. Not a one-time sacrifice that is burned up and gone and done, but a living one, one that goes on day after day after day. Paul says that is the only logical thing to do with your life!
How? How could that be logical? That doesn’t make any sense at all!
Au contraire! For two reasons:
Paul addresses you as brothers and sisters. And he didn’t learn this from a DNA testing service. The blood of Jesus needs no test. Jesus’ blood is the ink that signs and seals all the adoption documents. It’s done. You are God’s child, just like Paul.
And he says, “in view of God’s mercy.” As you ponder what God was willing to do for you, his willingness to sacrifice his own son to save you from your sins against him, you are moved to be sacrificial as well. You can give your whole self into his service. This is how you worship your merciful God.
Prayer:
Jesus, because of your sacrificial living, death, and resurrection, enable me to offer my whole self as a living sacrifice to the people around me, day in and day out. Amen.
