Random Question ~ Take Your Pick

Right click in the box below.
Select All - Copy (ctrl+C)
Paste in HTML. (ctrl+V)

<a border="0" alt="Random Question" href="http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a290/ed77ie/my%20graphics/logos/random_question_logo.png"></a>

Happy Friday to you bloggy friends! It's time for our Random Question. I love giving people choices so today I'm letting you choose.

Romans 12:1-2 is packed with multiple bits of wisdom, instruction, and promises. Today I'm asking that you choose any part of this scripture and write about how it is speaking to your heart.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2)

God has put Romans 12:2 in my path several times these last couple of weeks. Today as I sat down to study my Bible, He sent me there again, only this time He had me include verse one. I broke down these scriptures and wrote out the definitions of each section as you see below.

1. "In view of God's mercy" - Because God is merciful (takes pity on us.)
2. "Offer your bodies" - Voluntarily give yourself, all of yourself.
3. "As living sacrafices" - Releasing to God ALL rights to live my life as I choose, and accepting what God has chosen instead.
4. "Holy and pleasing to God" - Pure, perfect, blameless.
5. "This is your spiritual act of worship" - This is what it means to worship.
6. "Do not conform to the pattern of this world" - Do not be shaped into the likeness of this world in your thinking, speech, or actions.
7. "But be transformed" - Be changed into something completely different.
8. "By the renewing of your mind" - By getting a new mind, or replenishing your mind.
9. "Then you will be able to test" - Then you will be able to prove.
10. "and approve" - And be in favorable agreement with.
11. "What God's will is" - What God desires.
12. "His good, pleasing, and perfect will" - The highest and best of what God desires that will bring Him pleasure.

As I wrote these out, God stopped me on number 3, "As living sacrafices" - Releasing to God ALL rights to live my life as I choose, and accepting what God has chosen instead.

Writing out the definition of a living sacrafice really makes an impact. Yes I've read that scripture before, lots of times. I've thought that I had offered myself as a living sacrafice, and yes in some ways I suppose I have ... a little. But it dawned on me as I wrote that definition that somewhere in the back of my mind I seemed to have this image of happily sitting on this alter with little or no discomfort. Oh, I've never actually believed that's what it was, but still that image was there.

Releasing to God ALL rights to live my life as I choose. Am I really willing to let go of all my rights, all of my dreams, all that I desire, and hand everything to Him no matter what He chooses to do with me? I have thought that I had done that before, more than once, but today He asked it of me. I chose to say YES to my God.

Now it's your turn. Is there something in these verses that speaks to your heart? Write about it on your blog then come back here and use Mr Linky to link to your post. To use Mr Linky, just fill in the field boxes and it will automatically link for you.