Romans 12:1 speaks of “presenting your body a living sacrifice.” For the longest time when I have read this I think I need to push a peanut with my nose and tell God, “Look God I’m pushing the peanut with my nose! Aren’t you so proud of me?” Whether it be reading the Bible, fasting, going to church, participating in church ministry or events, doing any good deed, praying for a healing for someone, and the list goes on. Today, I spoke to two people. One man, whom I met recently, I talked to at the gym. He told me he’s been separated for seven months from his wife and hasn’t seen his daughters either in that time. Long story short, I encouraged, exhorted and gave him some direction. He went from, “I want a divorce” to “Do you think she still loves me?” When I got home my wife took our sons across the street to the neighbors kiddy-pool. All the kids on the street play a lot together. I had a long conversation with my neighbor talking about movies, electronics, etc.
Man, where am I going with this, right?
Anyways, this is what I saw later this evening. Both times at the gym and at home Christ was and IS the Living Sacrifice in me. The sacrifice is not a strenuous effort of self-will. It is not maintaining and walking some impossible statute, but because of the revelation of Him IN me and towards me I responded the way “He is” (improper grammar, but correct meaning) towards me my whole life because I strongly desired to. “He strongly desired to” IN me. This is so beautiful. The living sacrifice is Christ living IN me. It is living life very naturally ministering all the time to others through me because of fullness in me. It is more than that. Colossians says, “Let the word (logos) of Christ dwell in you richly.” Let Living Word dwell in you. The Word does not go away and come back, but stays. His Words endures forever. He lives in me by the unveiling of the mystery which has been kept hidden in ages past as Paul describes. This is also what Paul calls, “Walking or living in the Spirit.”
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