Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.
Romans 12:1
Holy and righteous living is woven throughout the pages of the Bible, and while Jesus is our perfect example, there are others we can look to as well. Perfect? No, because our Lord and Savior is incomparable. But there is a scene in Luke 2:23-38 that gives us a beautiful picture of lives lived in obedience, which should inspire us.
After Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph took Him to the temple to be dedicated, where we meet Simeon. “This man was righteous and devout, looking forward to Israel’s consolation, and the Holy Spirit was on him.” Simeon was divinely assured that he would not die before the Messiah was born, and he recognized Jesus as the long-awaited Lord. He immediately took Jesus up in his arms and praised God. “Now, Master, you can dismiss your servant in peace, as you promised.” Simeon’s life was complete because he fulfilled his mission.
We aren’t told when the Holy Spirit revealed the coming Messiah to Simeon, so we don’t know how long he waited. But then we meet Anna the prophetess, who had not left the temple since her husband died—eighty-four years before. Instead, she continued “serving God night and day with fasting and prayers.” Luke 2:38 tells us that she had been interceding for the redemption of Jerusalem.
Both Simeon and Anna are examples of presenting their bodies as a living sacrifice in worship to God. Should we be any different?
We live in a fast-paced culture where we expect the pastor’s message to clock in under thirty minutes, and prayer meetings are scheduled for convenience. We are called to be dedicated to the Lord, but what should that look like?
A living sacrifice is complete surrender, to be used as the Lord desires. We are put on this earth for one purpose only—to glorify God in whatever way He desires. Will He ask us to fast and pray for eighty-four years? Probably not. But in view of Anna’s lifelong faithful service, we might be encouraged toward another level of obedience.
Our pastor asked a hard question last Sunday—have we left everything behind in pursuit of Jesus? Or do we count the cost and hedge here and there for convenience’s sake? Will we intercede in fasting and prayer for the salvation of others or is a quick petition good enough?
Our calling and our comfort are in direct opposition. Are you a living sacrifice, or do you find yourself crawling off the altar on a regular basis?
Heavenly Father, help us to lay down our lives for whatever You call us to. Open our hearts and eyes to see what You have for us, if only we would be faithful to surrender it all to You. Give us the boldness and courage to proclaim the Gospel to those who are in desperate need of the merciful grace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It’s in His most holy and righteous name we pray.
