Seven Sacrifices to Joy

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

It’s great to be with you for Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power. Thank you so much for joining me for the conclusion of one of the longest series in my blogging history! Grab your Red Strand of Faith and let’s return to where we left off, comparing the Old Testament sacrifice of a body to the New Testament sacrifice of our body. I’m hoping we will tie several more knots in the conclusion of this series, the Sacrifice of the Body.

We’ve learned that whenever an Old Testament sacrifice was offered, it couldn’t be reclaimed. It became holy and dedicated, or sanctified unto the Lord. Sanctified means to be set apart, so that paints a vivid picture when we put ourselves on/in the canvas of it, aka, the altar of life!

See, our bodies have been sanctified unto the Lord when He purchased us with His own blood. Sounds a bit gory, and many of us don’t like to think of the great lengths He went through to pay for our junk, but the shedding of His blood as an atonement for our sins is a reality that must be brought to the forefront of our souls, a tool, if you will, to help us surrender and render our bodies as His, as He did for us.

His sacrifice is what purchased us and He thereafter quick-claimed the deed of ownership to us in hopes that we would willingly and whole-heartedly sign the title back to Him! This is confirmed in 1st Corinthians 6:19-20 which tells us, "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God and you are not your own”!

The difference between the Old Testament offering and the offering of our bodies is that the Old Testament offering was dead and could not jump down off of the altar when the fire became hot, but we can! Oh, how difficult it is when the heat of living for Christ and taking a stand begins to be turned up, right? Do we, a living sacrifice, jump down off the altar of consecration to God and reclaim ourselves as our own or do we cling to Him so as to become like Him, surrendered and available?

To offer or present our bodies as a living sacrifice unto God means we are to be available for His use at His discretion. Our flesh may really struggle with that truth, to show up and shut up, wondering where and when, questioning the how of it all. Often it is the undesired, the unlovely, and the unglamorous places, times, and persons that our loving God, who loves us too much to leave us how we are, will use to bless us with the richest of life's lessons in preparation for the future.

Yes, this sacrifice requires life, not death, and that surrendered, sacrificial life brings glory to God. Heat is part of being on the altar for God and His glory is the result. Oh, Father, may I be a living sacrifice, one hour, one day at a time on my way to You!

That’s a wrap! Join us tomorrow for Faith Filled Fridays @ Croley’s Corner of Chicklit Power.

Love,

Evinda