Daily Encouragement Net (Archive/Print Edition)

Monday, February 27, 2006

"My Offering"

"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 spiritual act of worship" (Romans 12:1).

One of the great joys parents have is seeing their children spiritually receptive. This last Saturday evening we had a youth talent night in our church. The young people dramatized a powerful song titled "Offering" by the group Third Day. The skit ended with a young lady stepping into a large oversized offering plate which symbolized dedicating her life to the Lord. It just happens that we were sitting next to her dad and we looked over and he was weeping as he saw his daughter make this symbol of commitment.

That evening our daughter, Ester, was especially touched and kept playing the song over and over and over. Last night she testified in church concerning her desire to live for the Lord. She went to a prayer meeting with me early this morning and on the way I shared with her the Romans 12:1 spiritual concept. This was a formative concept in my life when I was a teenager. In fact I still recall sitting at a restaurant with an older Christian and receiving the challenge of this verse outlined on a napkin.

In the previous chapters of Romans the apostle Paul expounded on the reality of "God's mercy." The proper response to this wonderful mercy is for all who believe to "offer your bodies as living sacrifices." This is a lifetime daily surrender. An aspect of this sacrifice is that we give up something of lesser value now for something of much greater future value.

Let us, once again, determine this day that we will live our life in faith and obedience to God, offering our bodies as living sacrifices!

Be encouraged today,

Stephen C. Weber

Brooksyne's Prayer: Father God, I am in awe of Your invitation that bids me come and offer my all. My all seems so insignificant in comparison to Your vastness, Your Holiness and Your omnipotent power. Though I am completely unworthy to be called Your child, You embrace me wholly with Your infinite compassion and absolute acceptance. Though I've given You my heart it will be a lifetime struggle to surrender to You my all. It is not in my own strength or capability but in Your merciful embrace that little by little I loosen my grip on the temporary to take hold of the eternal treasures that come because of my intimate relationship with You, God Almighty.

Here are the lyrics to the song I referred to in today's message along with a sample audio clip.

Magnificent Holy Father
I stand in awe of all I see
Of all the things You have created
But still You choose to think of me

Who am I that You should suffer
Your very life to set me free
The only thing that I can give You
Is the life You gave to me

This is my offering, dear Lord
This is my offering to You, God
And I will give You my life
For it’s all I have to give
Because You gave Your life for me

I stand before You at this altar
So many have given You more
I may not have much I can offer
Yet what I have is truly Yours.

Here's a full length edition of another song I found while I was searching for the above song that has a similar expression of surrender.

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