Romans 12:1 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.

YOUR REASONABLE SERVICE

That almost sounds scary doesn't it! The Word tells us that we are to “present” ourselves, bodies, a living sacrifice, holy, and make the presentation acceptable unto God. Paul used this word “present” in Romans 12:1 in a very strong way. I beseech you or beckon you. This is also used as a person who is sincerely and earnestly praying; a person who is sincerely expressing his heart to God.

James tells us that Elijah was a man such as we who prayed earnestly and he was a man with a nature like ours. In other words, he struggled with the life situations that came his way, but he knew the One who had the answer to his struggles. Elijah was presenting himself as a living sacrifice to God. He was definitely giving it all he had.

Presenting ourselves to God as a living sacrifice means that we must live in a continual state of surrender and consecration. Our commitment may begin with a once and for all decision, but it must be followed with a daily decision to keep on surrendering ourselves to the Lord. Even as I jot down these notes the song comes to my mind, "I Surrender All," and how many times I have been moved when I have sung that song in a worship service at church.

May I encourage you to consecrate or to re-consecrate yourself to the Lord today as a “living sacrifice!”

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