Offering...

Offering…

“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..” (Romans 12:1)

I don’t think there is one of us that would jump to say our body is ‘holy’.

But the ‘therefore’ of verse 1 refers back to the preceding 11 chapters of Paul’s message in the book of Romans.

Paul wrote those chapters explaining about the situation of all humans, our ruined condition….and God’s rescue.

We often jump right to the ‘duty’, right to what we should ‘offer’….and never really come to understand the doctrine taught…. that HE is the one that makes our bodies holy.

Nothing I can ever do or not do will make me holy. Not one single thing or a hundred things….

If God places me in His Son, I am holy….


Not because of things I eliminate…
Not because of words I don’t say anymore or places I don’t go anymore…..
Not because of any kind of behavior modification.

The “therefore” of verse 1 is a first step…a first choice to finding God’s will and walking in it……….walking behind His Son Jesus, Whom we follow.

Choosing to do that is really the only thing we have to offer God. He created every single thing that is a reality to you and I. Nothing of that is really mine, I have nothing He has not provided.

The paper (money) that we lay in the offering plate is just a tool that WE have devised to USE what HE has given us in the first place.

The only value it has to Him is the attitude of our hearts when we offer it back to Him. We either offer it freely and with joy, or out of meaningless duty.

Is our money all we offer Him?

During this season of Christmas, we hear songs about the wise men bringing gifts to the infant Jesus.

I’m sure those valuable gifts came in handy to two poor parents, displaced from their homes, separated from family and support systems. The gift was valueable, and the gift was used.

But I wonder what a big smile it brought to God’s heart to have these ‘wise men’ travel such distance, just to meet Immanuel, “God With Us”.

The priority was to find The Promised One. The offerings were the least of it I think…the true gifts they brought were within. The worship of the newly born King of Kings.

What do you understand about what He has given you?

“The One who is highly honored lives forever. His name is holy. He says, "I live in a high and holy place. But I also live with anyone who turns away from his sins. I live with anyone who is not proud. I give new life to him. I give it to anyone who turns away from his sins. (Isa. 57:15)


What do you bring Him this morning?

A little of your money?

An hour or two of your time?


“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit…. a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”(Ps. 51:17)

Living sacrifices…..

I am a living sacrifice. Are you?

Like me, do you have a tendancy to squirm around on the altar? Like me, do you regularly climb off?


This morning, I bring an offering of worship to my King. No one on earth deserves the praises that I sing, Jesus may You receive the honor that You’re due…Oh Lord, I bring an offering to You.