A Living Sacrifice: The Foundation of God's Call

Romans 12:1

1 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. (NIV)

As we begin a new year, we return to God’s call for us to be utterly devoted to Him. In this passage, the Lord is calling us to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing. This is true worship. But this call to total devotion begins with the word ‘therefore.’

The word ‘therefore’ tells us this call to being sold out to God sits on a foundation of something else. In this case, the ‘something else’ is the overwhelming kindness God has shown us despite our sinfulness. Paul reminds us that we have all been slaves to sin because of our sinful nature, so that every single person, regardless of their faith, is living under God’s hand of grace.

The wages of sin is death. Anyone who sins and continues to breathe air is living in God’s grace. Many would suggest that a loving God would never impose such a sentence because of just one sin. But God, in His justice, has done just this, but also, in His mercy, He has commuted the sentence of every believer, and every unbeliever has been given more time for their eyes to be opened to God’s kindness.

It is this kindness that moves us to complete devotion. We must make ourselves consider the ocean of sin in our lives. We must remember that God could have taken our lives at the first sin, leaving us condemned to Hell forever. Then, knowing each time we sinned, He extended grace. Even before we claimed Him as Lord and Savior, He gave grace. After we knew better, He extended grace. Even now, as we choose to sin still, He extends grace.

The grace is not limited to more time and forgiveness. But even in our sin, He has never removed His kindness. He has never taken back all that He has given us out of the kindness of His heart. In fact, in our worst times of sin, He gave more.

Therefore…let us give ourselves wholly to Him.

Prayer: Lord, I can never repay You, but help me live a life devoted to You in gratitude for the grace and kindness lavished upon me. Amen.