“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”
Romans 12:1
What is worship? Often we imagine worship as going to church, or praying, or singing hymns. All of these things definitely are worship, but they aren’t the only way to worship. It’s a temptation in modern day life to relegate “worship” to Sundays and maybe even Wednesdays inside a church building. Paul wants us to know that this is NOT the full extent of worship. It’s so much more.
Paul says, “I appeal to you,” almost like he is pleading with us, like he desperately wants us to listen to him and to hear him out. He badly wants us to know this. He begs us, “present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God,” because THAT is true “spiritual worship.” It isn’t limited to a few hours on certain days of the week in certain buildings. It’s constant and unending. It’s a way of living, not just a small part of life.
It’s total devotion, full submission of your body and all that you possess, to God’s will. It’s living your life not for yourself but to serve others. It’s denying yourself the things of the world in favor of the things of God. It’s saying, “Not my will, God, but yours.” That is worship. That is how we show God the love that we have for him, the honor that he deserves, and the appreciation for every blessing and the ultimate sacrifice that he made on our behalf.
You can’t do those things simply by attending church. You can’t separate your day to day life and worship. Your entire life should be a constant living breathing worship to God. How? By pursuing holiness, by following the example of Christ, and by spending the full capacity of your life furthering the Kingdom of God.
That’s worship.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
Help me not to fall into the temptation of believing that worship is just a Sunday morning activity. Give me the faith to offer my entire life as worship to you, as a holy sacrifice for your glory.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
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