Offering Sacrifices! Yuck!

Often times I think of the Jews living under the Old Law, having to make those animal sacrifices again and again and again. Each sacrifice was to remind the Israelites that sin is not beautiful and is costly, as the life blood was drained from the animal that was then offered on an altar. YUCK! GROSS! I am glad that does not have to be a part of my routine on a daily, weekly, monthly, nor even on an annual basis. I am glad there was an end to that law ( Romans 10:4) and we as Christians are not required by God to kill an animal and offer it to Him.

HOWEVER, there is a gift God wants us to give Him as a sacrifice. Paul mentioned it in his letter to the church at Rome where we read. . .

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to PRESENT YOUR BODIES AS A LIVING SACRIFICE, HOLY AND ACCEPTABLE TO GOD, which is your spiritual worship." ( Romans 12:1 ESV)

Notice Paul did not say "dead" sacrifices, but rather "LIVING" sacrifices. This is not a gross offering, but rather is to be a BEAUTIFUL SACRIFICE. What we do with our lives is to be done as an offering of worship to God. And just like offerings under the Old Law, we don't just offer ourselves once, but we continue to offer ourselves to God in life on a daily basis.

As we continue to think about the great mercy God has extended to us, may we keep showing Him our appreciation by offering our life in continual service to Him -- for this "IS YOUR SPIRITUAL WORSHIP."

Have a great day LIVING LIFE ON THE ALTAR TO GOD!
Carl
===========
[This focus was originally sent 04/28/1998 (edited some with passage changed to ESV)]

See other teEn-MAIL on Christian Living