Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. Hebrews 13:16 ESV

God’s call to lay down our lives on the altar of sacrifice means that we give Him all that we are. Our rights, our reputation, our desires, our future plans, everything that concerns us. First for a lifetime, and then day by day, moment by moment, decision by decision.

Does that seem too much to ask? Consider God sacrificed his only Son on the cross for us. Just saying.

Take a trip to Calvary and look into the eyes of a bleeding Christ who gave everything to reconcile us to Himself. From that viewpoint, any sacrifice becomes my “reasonable service” (Romans 12:1 KJV). Reasonable comes from the Greek word logikos, meaning that which is reasonably logical or logical to God. Christ died on a cross for me. A full and complete sacrifice of my life is the only logical response I can make.

God asks us to offer up our lives and daily circumstances as a living sacrifice, signifying our wholehearted consecration and surrender to the One who gave His life for us. Shall we offer to such a Savior only our affordable gifts and free weekends? Or shall we identify ourselves with Christ and pursue a life of reasonable service?