Scripture Text: Romans 12: 1 – 8

For any child of God, our main desire in life should be to become more like Jesus. You may be thinking, well, that is easier said than done. I have many things that I am trying to accomplish. Getting a job or keeping a job, raising my family, paying my bills, keeping the car running, calling the plumber to please come and fix my stopped up toilet, attending your child’s school events, deciding what I would like to pursue as a career, cooking meals that won’t be too burnt, cleaning the house, keeping up maintenance on the house, spending quality time with friends and family, and the list goes on and on. Then to add to this long list, there is church. Sometimes we tend to think that going to church on Sunday mornings is sufficient. After all, a large number of people do not attend church at all and therefore I am doing pretty well in supporting the church and the Pastor, and I even try to put some money in the collection plate. I listen attentively as the Pastor preaches and occasionally I may even go a Bible study.

Yes my brothers and sisters, the Church is very important in our Christian walk. Coming to church faithfully on Sunday mornings to worship the Lord and fellowship with like minded believers is essential to our spiritual well being. But I believe that God is calling us to a much higher standard if we truly desire to be more like Jesus.

In Romans chapter 12, verse 1, Paul writes that we offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is our reasonable service. You have likely heard the phrase “surrender to Christ”. There is even an old Baptist Hymn titled “I Surrender All”. But what does it mean to truly surrender all to Christ? First, surrendering to Christ is not just a one-time decision you made when you first gave your life to Him. The day you asked the Lord to forgive you of your sins and asked to be your Lord and Savior. Instead, it is a daily choice, to offer yourself, your plans, your dreams, and your concerns to God on a daily basis. It is a powerful and heartfelt desire to trust God with every aspect of our life. It is acknowledging that His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are often beyond our human understanding. We must realize that God is in full control and we must continually trust Him, and Him alone. It requires patience and faith, even when it seems that life is crumbling, right before our eyes. Knowing that God’s timing is perfect and His ways are always for our ultimate good.

It is also important to recognize that even our physical bodies should be highly regarded in our desire to be more like Jesus. It is the earthly vessel in which the Holy Spirit dwells. A healthy body allows us to serve Christ more effectively. We must be careful not to abuse our bodies so that we can honor Christ by not participating in activities that will be harmful to our bodies. Remember, God gave us these bodies to serve and glorify Him.