Wednesday, 01 July 2009

• A Living Sacrifice?

  When I hear the word sacrifice, my mind immediately goes to the sacrifices the Jewish people were commanded to offer in Old Testament Times. It was to be something of the very best they had, but it was to be killed and offered as a burnt offering before God. Recently, I was reading in Romans 12 where Paul wrote, “I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice…” I began to think about what it must mean to live each day as a sacrifice to God. The Amplified Bible renders that verse this way: “I appeal to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship.” If I am to present myself as a living sacrifice to God it means that I will daily lay aside my own desires to follow Him, put aside all my energy and resources at His disposal, and trust Him to guide me. It’s only as I live daily for God that I will be ready when He comes for His own.

  All for Jesus
  All for Jesus, all for Jesus!
  All my being’s ransomed powers:
  All my thoughts and words and doings,
  All my days and all my hours.
  All for Jesus! All for Jesus!
  All my days and all my hours;
  All for Jesus! All for Jesus!
  All my days and all my hours.
  
  Let my hands perform His bidding,
  Let my feet run in His ways;
  Let my eyes see Jesus only,
  Let my lips speak forth His praise.
  All for Jesus! All for Jesus!
  Let my lips speak forth His praise.
  All for Jesus! All for Jesus!
  Let my lips speak forth His praise.
  
  Since my eyes were fixed on Jesus,
  I’ve lost sight of all beside;
  So enchained my spirit’s vision,
  Looking at the Crucified.
  All for Jesus! All for Jesus!
  Looking at the Crucified.
  All for Jesus! All for Jesus!
  Looking at the Crucified.
  
  Oh, what wonder! how amazing!
  Jesus, glorious King of kings,
  Deigns to call me His belovèd,
  Lets me rest beneath His wings.
  All for Jesus all for Jesus!

  Resting now beneath His wings;
  All for Jesus! All for Jesus!
  Resting now beneath His wings.
  -- Mary D. James

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