Our True Example. Christ.

In Romans 12:1 we read these words, "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." I challenge you to think of this in a new light. Not as what you have to stop doing, or try to "be better at", but one as our True Example, Christ was.

What do I mean? Look at how Jesus was a Living Sacrifice.

You must first remember that a sacrifice was bound or tied to an alter. Since Christ is and was our perfect example, how did Jesus present Himself? He was brought, bound to the high priest, "Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest." John 18:24 And from there, the Bible does not record Jesus ever fighting, struggling to get away, nor even attempting to save Himself, even though He had the full power to do so, and the command of thousands of angels at His disposal. He went willingly to the cross so that He could fulfill the work which God had created Him to do.

We don't have an alter to be tied to, so how does God offer us up?

Through the things in our lives that we are tied to, that hurts our flesh and breaks our will. What has you bound or tied up? That marriage you're sick of? That job that is driving you crazy and when you asked God to move you He said no? That job with the tough boss who gives you more grief than pay? What about that relationship with that child that won't seem to get better no matter how much you pray, fast, and cry? And as you seek God, He says, "I want you to understand what it is I'm going through trying to raise YOU!" He says this is the place of your sacrifice!

All of us have something that brings us to the place of where we are a "living sacrifice" unto God.

We all have something we are tied to that breaks our heart, makes us pray and brings us before God, and God uses that place in our lives to make us a priest unto God, and say "Yea though He slay me, yet will I trust HIM!" How are we living, unto God, in the sacrificial role HE has placed tied us to? Are you presenting your body a sacrifice to Him? Are your actions, holy and acceptable unto God? For it is our reasonable SACRIFICE!