A Living Sacrifice

In the Hebrew scriptures, our Old Testament, animal sacrifices were a huge part of worship and faith. The priests of that day were responsible for making the sacrifice, then cleaning them and cooking them. As a pastor, I am so thankful we don’t do that anymore!  

But there is something about this ancient ritual that is still relevant. The sacrifice of an animal from the herd or flock was costly for the ancient Israelites. The meat was a rare luxury in that world, so the offering was genuinely sacrificial.  

Whenever I read about these offerings in scripture, I think about the sacrificial nature of a life of faith. There is no doubt that when we give generously of ourselves, when we sacrifice for the sake of others, when we commit wholeheartedly to a particular ministry, our faith matures and deepens.  

The Apostle Paul wrote, “I appeal to you brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship…”

Let us pray: Loving God, we give you our hearts, we give you our hands. We give you our feet and our minds and even our words. Lead us where you will. Use the gifts we offer to serve your people and to glorify you. We ask that you would continue to heal us, redeem us, and move us along the path to new and abundant life. Amen.