Though my dad was in ministry for more than 70 years, my mom rarely spoke to groups in public. That’s why after she passed away, I was so happy to find some speaking notes of hers. She brought a message based on Romans 12:1, where the apostle Paul writes, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice”–reasonable in light of all that God has done for us.

 

She noted that it was our bodies God asked for, not just our minds. We should pick our bodies up, so to speak, and offer them to God, making them do the work He has given us to do. Just serving the Lord with our minds will not get the job done.

 

She noted that sometimes when people haven’t attended an event in person, they will say, “Well, I was there with you in spirit.” There’s not much inspiration, however, from a bunch of spirits–and not much accomplished. But the spirit accompanied by a body makes a great impression for the Lord. It’s easy to present your soul to the Lord–you can’t see it or manage it. Presenting your body to God, however, involves time, effort, discipline, and unselfishness.

 

You’re probably familiar with Psalm 103:1, which says, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name.” My dad used to say that sometimes he didn’t feel like blessing the Lord. In those times he humorously told that he would stand his soul up in the corner and make it bless the Lord, regardless of how he felt! Sometimes we have to exercise the same discipline with our bodies.

 

Some day we’ll know that everything we’ve done here on earth for the Lord was well worth the effort. So today pick up your body, so to speak, present it to the Lord for whatever purpose He has, and insist it do the work He has given you to do.