Hmmmm . . .

Is what I'm living for
worth Christ dying for?

A Living Sacrifice

I've read through the Bible

several times

ok . . . ALL of the bible __?__ many times
MOST of the bible the other times

I confess

I tend to skip or skim

Leviticus . . . and Numbers

Leviticus . . .

the book of the law

this offering

for this sin

the burnt offering

the grain offering

the peace offering

the sin offering

the trespass offering

offerings of blood 

offerings consumed by fire

My response to Leviticus . . .

THANK YOU JESUS!!!

I no longer need to check the list

for the appropriate offering

for my sin.

Jesus is my final sin offering!

But . . . I just read again 

for the umpteenth time

Romans 12:1 . . .

“And so, dear brothers and sisters,

I plead with you to give your bodies

to God because of all he has done for you.

Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—

the kind he will find acceptable.

This is truly the way to worship him."

(New Living Translation)

Hmmm . . . let me check

a different translation of the bible . . .

“So here’s what I want you to do,

God helping you:

Take your everyday, ordinary life—

your sleeping,

eating,

going-to-work,

and walking-around life—

and place it before God as an offering.”

(Message Bible)

Every part of my ordinary life . . .

an offering to you, Lord?

My eating?

(surely chips and chocolate not included)

my thoughts

emotions

words

wants

desires

my driving?

It would be easier

less painful for my flesh

if I could just offer up

one of the Levitical offerings!

EVERY PART

of my everyday . . . ordinary . . . walking-around life

on the altar as an offering

to you, Lord

terminating my “rights”

choosing your way

not the world’s way . . .

MY choice

EVERY PART

of my everyday . . . ordinary . . . walking-around life

being transformed by your Word

becoming a living sacrifice

a daily expression of worship . . .

MY choice

All my “sacrifices”

to be a living sacrifice

happen

moment by moment

on my knees

at the foot of the cross

covered with the blood of Jesu

THANK YOU JESUS!

“Embracing what God does for you

is the best thing you can do for him.

Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture

that you fit into it without even thinking.

Instead, fix your attention on God.

You’ll be changed from the inside out.

Readily recognize what he wants from you,

and quickly respond to it.

Unlike the culture around you,

always dragging you down

to its level of immaturity,

God brings the best out of you,

develops well-formed maturity in you.” 

Romans 12:1-2

Message Bible

Imperfect-Progress-Wrapped-In-Grace-Ungluedness!

“ . . . let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.” 

Hebrews 12:1b-2 NLT

I recently read the book “Unglued,” by Lysa TerKeurst, and am now doing an online bible study.  Our memory verse for Chapter 1 is Hebrews 12:1b . . . I added verse 2 for me to memorize.

I love how these verses read in the Message Bible . . .

“Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever.”  Hebrews 12:1b-2  Message Bible

A year ago, at age 65, my husband and I made some lifestyle changes in order to lose weight, including journaling what we eat, exercise, and adding vitamins and nutritional supplements.  We started walking again . . . 2 miles per day, working up to 7 miles per day.  This spring, we cut back to 3 miles and started doing 1-min “runs” the last 20 minutes of our walk.  You have to understand, I have never been a runner and said I would never be a runner.  My daughter was a runner.  She ran cross country and the 2-mile races in track.  I always told her my idea of cross country is to get in the car and drive cross country! 

Never say never! 

 

This spring, it was a miracle for me to finish one 1-minute segment.  A minute / 60 seconds is a long time, and I was sure I was going to meet my maker sooner than later!  But my husband kept encouraging me and even took my hand the last 30 seconds saying, you can do it . . . just a few more seconds.  Now I can run eleven 1 to 1 ½ minute segments with a 1 minute walk in between!   

As I run, I have to keep an eye on the uneven sidewalks and streets so as not to trip and fall.    AND in order to finish each run, I have a mail box or sign or something at the end of each minute segment on which I keep my eyes while my husband calls out the last 20 seconds. 

 

This is one of my 1-minute run segments.  Can you see the red sign WAY at the end of the sidewalk?

 

 

 

I don't lose sight of this . . . my goal . . . my focus point . . . to finish this one-minute stretch
   

 

 

 

The same holds true in my imperfect-progress-wrapped-in-grace-ungluedness! I have to keep my eyes on Jesus and my mind on His word in order to run the race set before me.  It’s not easy.  I trip and fall . . . A LOT . . . but . . . He gives me “do overs!” 

The hardest-imperfect-progress-baby-step for me is learning to stop rehashing.  I repent . . . forgive . . . decide to move forward . . . and up pop those emotions . . . AGAIN!

BUT . . . I remember . . . there is an enemy . . . who is not flesh and blood . . . who loves to bring to my remembrance . . . !  And when he does, it's my choice . . . 

"We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ.”  2 Cor. 10:5  Message Bible

Praise God . . . I’m a work in progress wrapped in grace!