Worship That Makes Sense

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your reasonable act of worship.”  Romans 12:1

I love a room with a view.  Usually my hotel reservations only result in a nice shot of the parking lot, but occasionally, I’m blessed with the vista of a sun-kissed beach, a majestic mountain, or a glittering skyline.  At those times, I fling open the curtains and just sit and stare at the beauty before me.

We have all moments when what we see is so breathtaking, so spectacular, so splendid that we struggle to describe the details, so we simply say, “It moved me.”  That’s a great expression but a lousy explanation.  It moved you to do what?  Gasp?  Tweet?  Praise?  Take a picture?  Mere recognition is not enough—our response reveals how much we truly value the view.

This works with worship and not just windows.  “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God”(Rom 12:1).  Our view of God’s mercy is astounding.  We, the stubborn, sinful, defiant slaves to sin(Rom 3:23, 8:7. 6:17) have been rescued, redeemed, and freed(Rom 5:9, 8:2), not because of our works but because of God’s will.  We don’t deserve it, but God did it—because He wanted to.  Nothing could be more beautiful and more breathtaking.  “It moves us,” we might say, but moves us to do what?

To give back.  To offer up.  To throw open our lives from head to toe and say to God, “I’m all yours!”  “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God”(Rom 12:1).  When you see the word “therefore,” stop and think what it’s there for.  It often calls us to consider previously stated facts and to choose who we’ll react.  Paul has spent eleven chapters helping us realize God’s gracious plan to save us from hopelessness and hell, and now he calls for a response.  “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy to offer your bodies as living sacrifices.”

Recognition without response leaves grandeur under-appreciated and devalued, for a nod of the head means nothing without a bend of the knee.  God’s great grace and magnificent mercy merits a move beyond acknowledgement to action—to give all that we are because of all that He did.   If that seems like a lot, it’s not.  It’s the only intelligent response.  “Offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your reasonable act of worship”(Rom 12:1).  When you see all God has given to you (“in view of God’s mercy”), it just makes sense to give all that you are to Him (“offer your bodies as living sacrifices”).  As one translation said, “That’s the most sensible way to serve God.”

Mere recognition of God’s mercy is not enough—our response reveals how much we truly value the view.

Climb on the altar and be completely His.