The call to follow Jesus is a high calling. It is filled with growth, blessing and sacrifice, and will continue throughout the rest of our lives. If you are a follower of Jesus, you are making a commitment to totally give yourself to God.
The apostle Paul, one of the most influential leaders in Christianity during the first century, wrote a letter to the brothers and sisters in Christ who lived in Rome. He had not yet been able to visit them, so he wrote them to describe what it means to be a follower of Jesus. Romans chapters 1-11 describe the spiritual lostness that people have apart from Christ, the hope that is found in trusting in Jesus as Lord and Savior, and the call to salvation. Salvation includes surrender, surrendering totally to the will and the ways of God.
Hear Paul’s words calling followers of Jesus to a life of totally giving yourself to God:
Romans 12:1
1 Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship.
Totally give yourself to God because of what he has done for you. Romans 12:1 says that in view of God’s mercies we are to present our bodies to God as a living sacrifice. In the Old Testament, when an animal was offered to God, that animal was sacrificed on an altar, never to live again. However because of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, we no longer are required to present animal sacrifices as payment for our sin. Jesus died once for all. Our response to his mercy is to become a living sacrifice. Because he died for us, we live for him!
Totally give yourself to God by living a life that is pleasing to him. Jesus calls us to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily and follow him. We are to live lives that are holy and pleasing to God. The way of Christ means thinking like Jesus, speaking like Jesus and living like Jesus. Jesus modeled pure thoughts, pure words, pure motives and righteous actions. He showed us the way of serving others, sacrifice and love. When you totally give yourself to God, you seek to please God in every way.
Totally give yourself to God because this is the way you worship him. Worshiping God is more than just going to church services and more than just thinking about God one day per week. God calls us to an amazing life of worshiping him seven days per week. We do this by totally giving ourselves to God. When we do this, we glorify God and worship him.
Today, what do you need to adjust in your life to totally give yourself to God? Whatever it is, do it!