Be a Living Sacrifice

Apr 04, 2025

Is your all on the altar

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I appeal to you therefore, brothers [and sisters], by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Romans 12:1 (ESV)

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I’m not gonna lie, I struggle with this verse a bit.

There’s a paradox here of being a living sacrifice that’s holy & acceptable to God … but … I’m a sinner who can only be made holy & acceptable because of the perfect sacrifice that Jesus made.

Hmmmmmmm … 🤔

I think there’s a lot in here about my heart attitude and Jesus’ command to take up my cross daily & follow Him.

It takes me a tremendous amount of work to squash my pride and let Jesus take control of my life.

I want to rely on my own mind to make decisions. To follow my own heart wherever it would lead. But not only is that unwise — because the heart is deceitful — it’s arrogant.

A solution?

The right eternal perspective.

i.e., the right heart attitude toward God and my daily life.

Intellectually, I know that God is the all-knowing creator of the universe and I’m better off trusting Him. Yet it’s hard when I want control and can’t see the outcome for whatever decision is in front of me.

The future is uncertain.

Well, the immediate future is uncertain. But the eternal future? My faith gives me the right perspective to see that all the cares of today will fade away compared to the surpassing glory of eternity with the Father, forever.

Yes, the right perspective makes it easier to offer my body as a living sacrifice.

Because what am I really sacrificing?

Nothing good.

— Ricky Ketchum

P.S. When I wrote this email, the hymn “Is Your All on the Altar?” came to mind. I’m reprinting it below:

1 You have longed for sweet peace,
And for faith to increase,
And have earnestly, fervently prayed.
But you cannot have rest,
Or be perfectly blest,
Until all on the altar is laid.

Refrain:
Is your all on the altar of sacrifice laid?
Your heart does the Spirit control?
You can only be blest,
And have peace and sweet rest,
As you yield Him your body and soul.

2 Would you walk with the Lord
In the light of His Word,
And have peace and contentment alway?
You must do His sweet will
To be free from all ill–
On the altar your all you must lay. [Refrain]

3 Oh, we never can know
What the Lord will bestow
Of the blessings for which we have prayed,
Till our body and soul
He doth fully control,
And our all on the altar is laid. [Refrain]

4 Who can tell all the love
He will send from above,
And how happy our hearts will be made,
Of the fellowship sweet
We shall share at His feet
When our all on the altar is laid! [Refrain]

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from the ESV®Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright© 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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