Hammer on Anvil '

Recently I was worshiping, thanking God for His magnanimous grace and mercy. I thanked Him that we no longer have to trudge to the temple on a regular basis to present offerings for various things (a cursory read of the first five chapters of Leviticus will get you up to date on what I mean, if you are not already familiar). Because Jesus became the sacrificial Lamb who paid the price for our sins, we no longer have to corral sheep and doves and other animals and lay them on the altar to be sacrificed.

I would imagine making those regular sacrifices was a rather laborious undertaking. You had to be aware of the exact offense, what animal and precisely what PARTS of the animal were to be sacrificed. Grain offerings had to be mixed with salt and oil. Certain offerings were made on certain days or during annual celebrations.

As I said, I am grateful we don't have to do that anymore as followers of Christ. But what I fear is that we have swung the pendulum entirely the other direction. Instead of making all those sacrifices for our sins, we accept the atoning blood of Jesus, get our free ticket to heaven, and then skip away as if we hadn't a care in the world.

This is one of my biggest grievances with the modern church. Instead of discipling new believers, we push them to make a profession of faith and let them go on their merry way. Their only recourse, in the absence of a solid discipleship program, is to observe others in the church and do as they do. This can be tragic, because most of the others are doing only what they have observed because THEY were never taught, either.

We no longer have to sacrifice animals to have our sins forgiven. But what IS required of us? Our very bodies are to be LIVING SACRIFICES, surrendered to God, devoted to Him and His purposes (Romans 12:1). That means you lay yourself on the altar and ask for God to consume your "old man" (pre-conversion) so that your "new man" can live entirely for Him. That's what Paul means in Galatians 2:20 when he says, "I am crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

Friends, let us not live our lives knowing more about "Dancing with the Stars" or "American Idol" than we do about our Savior. Let us seek His face and inquire of Him what it means for us to offer our bodies as living sacrifices. May He be our first thought in the morning, as we spend unhurried time in worship and prayer and feeding on His Word. Let's ask the Holy Spirit to guide our steps throughout the day, and to give us opportunities to share God's love with another who may desperately need it.

What does the Lord require of us? Micah 6:8 says it well: "To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."