A Living Sacrifice

Brothers and sisters, God has shown you his mercy. So I am asking you to offer up your bodies to him while you are still alive. Your bodies are a holy sacrifice that is pleasing to God. When you offer your bodies to God, you are worshiping him in the right way. Romans 12:1

The thing that we should want the most is to live a life of worship and devotion to God. Living a life of worship and devotion to God would mean to separate ourselves from sin. It would mean that sometimes we need to turn off the TV, say “no” to the activity or social event, it could even mean rearranging our schedule to make more time for God (reading our Bible and praying).

There is a special lady in the Bible named Anna. A prophetess and a good example of living a life of sacrifice. Anna was a widow. After her husband died, Anna began serving in the temple. Anna was married for 7 years and when the Bible records her story she was 84. We know that she served in the temple many years. The Bible also tells us that after her husband died, she did not leave the temple but instead, served God with fastings and prayers night and day (Luke 2:37).

Anna was blessed to get to see Jesus when Mary and Joseph brought him to the temple as a baby. She had a close relationship with God because of her life of sacrifice. She knew just like Simeon did when Mary and Joseph entered the temple that Jesus was God’s promised Savior. Anna believed that her life of sacrifice was worth it.

Anna chose to serve in the temple. She chose to fast and pray because she wanted to have a closer relationship with God. Anna knew that fasting and prayer are the most powerful tools she could use in developing her relationship with God.

At that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. Luke 2:38

Chose to worship the “right” way. Be a living sacrifice, pleasing to God.