Reasonable Service

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. —Romans 12: 1

In writing to the church at Corinth, Paul made a point to tell them to be careful about what they do with their bodies. “Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit… you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6: 19-20). God paid a tremendous price to redeem you, and the very least you can do is present yourself to Him—heart and soul, mind and body—as a living sacrifice. It’s your reasonable service. After all, you owe your very existence to your Maker. He’s the One who breathed life into you; He’s the One who sustains you day by day.

**You belong to God—heart and soul, mind and body.

In the name of pleasure, people abuse their bodies with drugs, alcohol, and even perversion. It’s bad for anyone, but it is absolutely unthinkable for the Christian. Do not destroy the instrument of your service. It doesn’t belong to you anyway. Instead, sanctify yourself unto Him. Most people use their bodies in the pursuit of pleasures that will pass away—things with no redeeming or eternal value whatsoever. Let’s see what we can do for God that will count for eternity. Present your body unto God as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to Him, which is not only the least thing that you can do, but also the wisest.

Father, may we devote our time, skills, and energies to doing those things that will last forever. Amen.