A devotional from Romans 12:1-2 [KJV]
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” — Romans 12:1 [KJV]
We have mastered the art of bringing things to the altar. Our money, our praise, our service, our fasting. But there is an altar in God that is not interested in what is in your hands.
It wants you.
- The Altar Did Not Want Isaac’s Ram. It Wanted Isaac.
Abraham went up Moriah expecting to give God something. God wanted to show him that He wanted someone.
“And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son… And Abraham… bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.” — Genesis 22:6,9 [KJV]
Isaac was not a helpless child. He was a man strong enough to carry wood up a mountain. If he wanted to resist his old father, he could have. He did not. He lay down. He let himself be bound.
The altar taught Isaac a lesson we must learn: God is not satisfied with a sacrifice from you, until He has a sacrifice of you.
- The Altar Did Not Want Jesus’ Miracles. It Wanted Jesus.
Jesus did many good works, but His good works could not save us. Only His body could.
“Lo, I come… to do thy will, O God.” — Hebrews 10:7 [KJV]
“No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself.” — John 10:18 [KJV]
He healed others, but He could not heal us until He placed Himself on the altar. The cross was the altar that wanted the Priest to become the Lamb.
- Now, The Altar Wants You.
This is why Paul says “present your bodies.” Not your belongings. Your bodies.
A dead sacrifice in the Old Testament could only die once. A living sacrifice can crawl off the altar every morning.
That is why many of us have no power. We died on Sunday, but we crawled off on Monday.
We want to live and still be used. God wants us to die and then He will make us alive.
What does this altar want from you today?
It wants your eyes when you are alone.
It wants your mouth when you have the right to complain.
It wants your flesh when it craves what will defile it.
It wants your feet when it is easier to stay away from where God sent you.
It wants your will when your will wants to run.
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” — Romans 12:2 [KJV]
You will not stay on this altar by emotion. You will stay by a renewed mind. You must daily convince yourself that this is reasonable — that after all His mercies, nothing else makes sense but to give Him you.
Stop bringing goats to an altar that wants you.
Isaac got off that altar and became a nation. Jesus got off His altar and became King of kings. When you finally let the altar have you, you will not lose yourself. You will find yourself for the first time.
PRAYER:
Father, I have brought Thee many things, but I have withheld myself. Today, by the mercies of God, I present my body. I lay myself on the altar.
Bind me. Though I am living, let me be dead to sin, dead to self, dead to this world. Let me be holy, acceptable unto Thee.
I will not be conformed. Transform me. In Jesus name, Amen.