spiritual worship

Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship. Romans 12:1 HCSB

Spiritual worship: if I asked you what you thought this was, what would you say? Probably good worship songs, time in the bible, that sort of thing? Yes! Most of us would agree. Yet, Paul calls presenting our bodies to God, as living sacrifices, spiritual worship. What does presenting our bodies to God as living sacrifices mean? No! No murder! No gorey stuff! It means dying to self, over and over again.

Our sacrifice must be continual because we constantly battle with our fleshly natures which act out. Mine did today. I went to watch my nephew play a game of soccer, and I found myself loudly barracking for our team, and a derogatory comment about the opposition slipped out. I was ashamed of my behaviour. So, repentance, and a prayer for help ensued. I want to be trusted, even in fun stuff to be faithful to my mandate here on the earth.

Suffice to say, our spiritual worship requires sacrifice and dying to self. Amen!