Romans 12:1-2

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

This passage makes it clear that it is not only expected, but that it is reasonable to give my life as a sacrifice unto the Lord.  The word reasonable implies that it is not an extreme or excessive request, but rather an expression of sound judgement for me to do so.  It is my intention to do so willingly and joyfully.

Flesh is weak.  I intend to honor God, not only with my time, but with my physical being.  I intend to honor Him as my Savior, but also as my husband.  I will focus on keeping my thoughts pure by founding them in scripture and my flesh pure by striving to reside in God's perfect will.

It's no wonder Paul begins this passage by begging ("I beseech you") us to be conscious of this spiritual service/act (not merely ritual activity but the involvement of heart, mind and will - Zondervan NIV reference)!  Just as being conformed to this world is a process of exposure to its standards, so shall we be transformed through the process (not a single event) of conscious renewal. 

"That ye present your bodies as a living sacrifice" - to sacrifice is to surrender something precious for the sake of something else.  So often, the focus of the word sacrifice falls upon our own surrender of something precious to us.  We struggle because we are so busy hanging onto those things we don't want to let go of.  We forget about the other half of sacrifice - "FOR THE SAKE OF SOMETHING ELSE."  We should not make this into a selfish process.  The very fact that we are giving up something for the sake of something else defines sacrifice as a process in which self righteouseness and selfishness can play no part.  Yes, we are giving our LIFE, but we are giving it so that OUR REASON FOR LIVING may be glorified.  Which is more important?  Our life, or our reason for living?  What importance would our life have had we no reason for living it?  Our gratitude would never suffice the gift we have been given through Jesus Christ.  May we never hesitate to joyfully give what little God expects. 

Romans 12:2 is one of my favorite verses in that it calls us to a higher standard by raising us out of the muck of this world.  My how standards have changed over the years!  When I read, "And be not conformed to this world" I instinctively think...we are not only conformed (acting in accordance with prevailing standards) but we are deformed (to mar the character of) by this world.  What God made in the image of Himself has been corrupted.  It isn't enough to say that we have been changed.  We've been volunteering for plastic surgery of the soul!  Since when is being made in the image of God not good enough?

© Victoria Sheahan, 2005