A Living Sacrifice

A recent experience in a meeting I attended made me to reconsider my commitment to the things I am supposed to be doing especially in the area of God's work. Nobody can gainsay that total commitment to ones duties is an easy one.

Commitment is a sincere promise to do something. It is the willingnes to work hard and give your energy and time to a job or activity. The activity could be to yourself or to another person. Commitment requires compassion which is love in action. This passion is the one expressed in the work one is do or as a result of ones respect for the owner of the work.Commitment abhors flimsy excuses,unnecessary convenience,complaints as well as laziness.Sometimes,we fail to get commitment because we are expecting other people to do what we are meant to do. It is a pity!

We were all created by God for His own pleasure particularly. He did not have to take His time to make us for nothing. It was solely for His personal pleasure.Ofcourse you know that He can also do without us and still remain God but He thought it wise and just decided to make us for His pleasure and for His use.

Sacrifice is the act of offering something to a god or deity,especially an animal that has been killed in a special way. The offered animal can be called a sacrifice and most times used to appease a particular deity. A sacrifice in other words is the fact of giving up something important or valuable to you inorder to get or do something that seems more important. It is not always easy to give up this important thing.At the moment,it will obviously be painful but has a way of attracting greater gain.

I began to reconsider the issue of being not just a sacrifice but a living one. Being a living sacrifice has more to do with a christian-a man or woman that is 'born again.' Permit me to say that!By virtue of what Jesus Christ did on the cross of Calvary more than two thousand years ago,we all are SUPPOSED TO BE LIVING SACRIFICES to God.I have already painted a picture of a sacrifice. I have also stated the reason why God made us in His own image.These things will actually help us to understand me as I forge ahead.

According to Romans 12:1,the Bible enjoins us to offer or present our bodies a living sacrifice to God,dedicated to His service and pleasing to Him. What is He trying to say? You may be asking. For those of us that are actually christians,we are supposed to have died with Christ and our souls long gone to heaven but Christ bought our bodies and placed us back in them so that He will use them to carry out some functions here on earth.Does it make sense to you? We are supposed to be dead just like any animal used for sacrifice but God decided on His own to make our bodies to live again and placed our souls in them so that He can use them.Sacrifices are supposed to be dead but we are living. That simply explains the issue of living sacrifice.

Since God bought us,He owns us and has the right to use us anyhow,anywhere and anytime He wants. Though our senses are intact,He still expects us to comply with all His requirements.Every sacrifice must be holy before it would be accepted. Even the pagan gods reject any deformed sacrifice. This brings up the issue of of acceptability that depends on the nature of the sacrifice. A sacrifice must be offered in a particular pattern as stipulated by the receiver before it can be said to be pleasing.We are all supposed to be living sacrifices unto God whether we know it or not and whether we like it or not.

I was privileged to come across a young man whose name is Panshak Ayuba and was really challenged by the nature of his commitment.He is actually not from this part of the country but portrayed the character needed in christians.Humility,meekness,hardwork,and trust did I see in him.He was selfless.I saw a man who understood what it means to be a living sacrifice unto God. He had the opportunity to hurriedly increase the size of his bank account but saw beyond that.He saw something more important.He prioritized good name and preferred it to quick riches.What a challenge he gave me!! His first impression on me was superb.Though I dont know him too well,he succeeded in receiving my approval.He made me to weigh my efforts to ascertain whether they were actually pleasing to God.He had perpetual hatred for substandard service to God and wholly gave himself for the work of God.Transparency and sincerity was found in him. Compassion was his driving force.He was driven by the fear he had for God.Excuses were not found in his lips.He is not a perfect man per se but really wanted to improve.To crown it all,he has also experienced and testified of the Lord's faithfulness.

Remember that we were all made to please God whether we know it or not.Whether we like it or not,we all are supposed to be to God,LIVING SACRIFICES.