A preacher once commented: ‘The problem with ‘living sacrifices’ is that they keep crawling off the altar’
Although that is quite true, St. Paul still urges us to present ourselves to God in this way. Paul also points out that when we offer ourselves to God’s purposes, it becomes our ‘true and proper worship’. He also reminds us that we do so in light of ‘God’s mercy’.
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 Chapter 12, Verse 1
When Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome, he knew that the concept of sacrifice would be a familiar one for those who would read his words. Unlike today, most of the major religions placed significance in offering animal sacrifices to either atone for wrongdoing or to give thanks. Here though, Paul turns things around by saying that we can be living sacrifices, ourselves!
A missionary who was working in a dangerous location once told a congregation ‘Where I work, it’s relatively easy to ‘die for Christ’. The hard part can sometimes be living for him’. This again reminds us that as we are called to live for the purpose which God can bring to our lives, we will not only become ‘pleasing’ to God, we will also live a life of worship, a life where everything we do carries eternal significance.
Our prayer for all those who are part of St. Thomas’ and St. Luke’s is that we will enjoy a productive and purposeful year in 2013!