Weekly Verse

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.  Romans 12:1

After observing Communion today in church and thinking and reflecting on the word sacrifice and what that means for me, I have had this verse continually coming to mind.  God speaks by the Holy Spirit through scripture and I know that this is a passage in which I need to study and pray about this week.  When I think about the sacrifice of Jesus - his body, blood - his life, my initial reaction is always thankfulness, amazement and love but then I can't help but stop and think about my own life in comparison...is my life a living sacrifice and what should that look like daily?  Here are some definitions that come up when looking at the word sacrifice: Forfeiture of something highly valued for the sake of one considered to have a greater value or claim. * Something so forfeited. * Relinquishment of something at less than its presumed value. * Something so relinquished. * A loss so sustained. * To forfeit (one thing) for another thing considered to be of greater value. * To sell or give away at a loss.
We can definitely tell after reading through these definitions that a sacrifice means giving up of something - not just something but something of value.  Are we living sacrificially daily?  What is my daily loss and is it given away joyfully?  Is our act of worship - or daily living- holy and pleasing to our God?  Big things to think on this week.  I pray that God's word is alive for you this week.  "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."  Hebrews 4:12