“Today is a living sacrifice”

Brothers and sisters, in view of all we have just shared about God’s compassion, I encourage you to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, dedicated to God and pleasing to Him. This kind of worship is appropriate for you. Don’t become like the people of this world. Instead, change the way you think. Then you will always be able to determine what God really wants- what is good, pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:1-2

Verse Reflections:  Every day we should offer our bodies to God.  He has forgiven us, He has given us grace that erases all of our sins, our failures, our past.  He has shown us compassion that is beyond this earth.  The least we can do is to give our bodies back to Him every day in thanksgiving, in worship for His beautiful omnipotence and sacrifice.  He gave His body for us in the worst death possible being beaten and hung on the cross for hours.  He is only asking us to take care of our body and treat it well.  We owe Him everything.  We owe Him our lives, our happiness, our strength.  When then, do we pour flour and water (noodles) into our body?  Why do we boil our foods in grease (fry)?  Why do we each ½ cup of sugar a day (just 8 tablespoons)?  What is wrong with us?  We need to not think like the others around us, we need to change the way we think.  When we do this we will want what God wants.  He wants what is good, pleasing and perfect.  He wants us to eat His foods.  We can so do this.  How often do we sing praise songs with amazement and awe at His goodness?  How often do we read scripture and are humbled by His power and sacrifice?  And yet, we do not give Him our bodies as a living sacrifice.  He is not asking us to be beaten as He was.  He is not asking us to hang on a cross, stabbed by a sword.  He is asking us to eat foods that are good, pleasing and perfect.  He is asking us to change the temptations of the world and not buy into the processed foods that are tossed our way on commercials, beautiful four color packaging… Have You noticed that His foods are not covered in beautiful packaging?  His foods are perfect in and of themselves.  Today, sacrifice your body in a way that actually gives you the health you deserve.  God only wants the best for You but He realizes that we are torn apart by this world.  He knows that this world will pull us away from what is good, and pleasing and perfect.  It is actually very sad that He even has to ask us to “sacrifice” in order to have the best that He wants for us.  Today let’s kneel before the alter of Christ and give Him our bodies.  It is the least we can do for Him and thus for ourselves.

Prayer:  God, I come to You… I kneel before You and ask desperately for You to take my body.  I sacrifice my desires for sweets, for carbohydrates, for processed foods.  I give You my body and the health of my body.  You have sacrificed so much for me.  You have forgiven me so many times for abusing my body.  I apologize and I come to You and beg for the strength to change the way I think.  Give me the power to crave the foods that are good and pleasing and perfect to You.  Allow those foods to be good and pleasing and perfect to me as well.  You have shown me so much compassion through the years.  How do You watch me and not cry?  I have eaten more than any human should be allowed to.  I have punished myself, reward myself with food but the wrong foods.  I ask for Your forgiveness and compassion once again.  Come to me and take my body in sacrifice.  Allow me to live in worship of You by eating the beautiful foods You have made.  The truly are perfect.  I love You.  Thank You for Your sacrifices for me. The least I can do is to sacrifice my desires and temptations for You.  I give You my body as a living sacrifice.  Thank You for convicting me today.  I love You.