You Don't Belong to You!

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1, NKJV)

You don't belong to you!

(I beseech you therefore, Brethren, by the mercies of God...)

Paul starts this scripture by pleading with us and he is pleading with us because of all the things God has done for us, things Paul talked about in the first 8 chapters of Romans. Things like the fact that there is no longer any condemnation for us who are in Christ. Or the fact that we have been justified in the eyes of God, the stain of sin has been wiped away by the blood of Christ and we now have the pleasure of standing in the presence of God. Or how about the fact that we are being sanctified and given the ability to live the lives God wants from us. And lastly, but not least by any means, the fact that, while we are not yet glorified we know we one day will be.

(...that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God...)

He is pleading with us to yield, offer, or put ourselves completely at God's disposal for his service in a manner which is fully agreeable or well pleasing to him.

(...which is your reasonable service.)

Which is the only logical, true, and proper way to worship him.

The words I want us to put in our minds and keep there are ...for his service... Everyone who is a Christian please understand that you no longer belong to yourself, you know belong to God and your life is his to do as he sees fit with. And please don't let this scare you because I can guarantee you that whatever it is that he does with our lives is going to be incomparably better than anything we could have or would have done in and of our own strength or will. But, we have to let him do it, and the only way to let him do it is for us to forget about our own will and surrender to his.

And this is an area of challenge for me because while I pray for my freedom, I know there may come a time when God tells me that his plan for me is exactly what I am currently doing which is preaching and teaching his word to the endless stream of lost or misguided souls who constantly flow into this prison, while also reaping what I have sown. I know there may come a time when God still tells me to be content with what I have, which is him as a heavenly Father, his Son as my Lord and Savior, and his Holy Spirit as my Comforter. I know that I may be told to be content with the blessings he bestows upon me daily, blessings such as joy, happiness, health, peace, the ability to stand before a holy God and have him hear my requests knowing that he is going to do what's best for me. I know a time may come here God tells me that what he wants out of my life is already in effect and what he expects from me is to not question his plan but to be obedient to it.

That day has not yet come and it is my prayer that it never does. It's my prayer that I am one day released and am able to stand in my church with my mother and daughter, praising and worshipping God for his grace, mercy, and favor. But, I also pray that if that day does come, and my God tells me to be content with where I am. what I am, and whose I am, that I am able to say "Yes, Lord," while, on that day, continuing to do what I now strive to do daily which is to present my body a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God which is my reasonable service.

So today let us devote ourselves to our God and the plans he has for our lives. Let us not be concerned with what we want or what we think is best. Today, let us worship and serve God in the only logical, true, and proper way. Today, let's collectively present our bodies to Him in an acceptable manner for him to do as he pleases. Today let's put ourselves completely at God's disposal for his service, whatever that service might be. This is what our GOd wants and that should be all that matters.