14 Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, 15 and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me." (Psalm 50)
Today this just struck me. In the Old Testament times, the children of Israel sacrificed thank offerings to God. They took an animal, slaughtered it and placed it on an alter. It was burnt, leaving a pleasing aroma to the LORD. We don’t do this today – not in this way. Yet the idea of sacrifice is also found in the New Testament. In Romans 12:1, we are told: Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship.
So what is this? What is offering our bodies as a living sacrifice? What is this spiritual act of worship? The very next verse offers us the answer: Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.
We renew our minds. We are not going with the flow of this world, but rather swimming upstream, allowing the Word of God to permeate our minds, hearts, souls – our very lives. When we are transformed in our thinking, we can discern God’s perfect and pleasing will. And when we offer our lives to God, we are sacrificing and offering thank offerings to God – for what he has already done for us – in Christ.
We are urged to fulfill our vows to the Most High. How do we do this? By communing with him and living a life pleasing to God. We are admonished to call upon God when we have trouble – and Christ also warns us – we will have trouble in this world. God promises to deliver us – and we will honor him.
LORD, as we live our lives here on earth, may we please You by dwelling in Your Word. By allowing our minds, hearts, souls, and very lives to be transformed, this is our spiritual worship. LORD, then as you have promised, You will deliver us. And we will honor you.
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