Living Sacrifices

'I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies, a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mindthat ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God'. (Romans 12 v 1-2 KJV)

Todays scripture might at first seem at odds with the theme of Unconditional Love for it is presenting challenges to the reader. Surely, God does as it says in the book of James in that he 'gives generously and without reproach.' The problem is that the key to so much of recieving from him depends on our obedience. Lack of this does not prevent him from loving us but it does prevent us from receiving the love. I like the King James translation where it says that being living sacrifices is our reasonable service. It's not a few elite people that are called to this - we all are.

In addition it is the only way that we can truly find out his will for our lives. God loves to bless but he can't give to us if our hands are clasped tightly shut. If God calls us to sacrificial obedience he only does so because he knows that we are capable.

Focusing on the unseen

'Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary but what is unseen is eternal.'

2 Corinthians 4 v 16-20

This scripture came to me by way of revelation just before Christmas. It certainly provided comfort for me at the time and spoke to a number of others. Certainly, if anybody is qualified to comment about the transitory nature of suffering then Paul is having been through persecution of a very intense variety. It also provides a robust alternative to the current immediacy of our current life and expectations. It is true as the 'here and now' is important to us then it is important to God too but what stands for eternity - the invisible kingdom of God is what matters most.

For as Paul says elsewhere 'if our hope is in this life only we are men most miserable'.