Romans 12:1 NASB
Therefore I urge you, brethren,
by the mercies of God,
to present your bodies
a living and holy sacrifice,
acceptable to God,
which is your spiritual service of worship.
Other translations
New International Version
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God — this is your true and proper worship.
New Living Translation
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice — the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.
King James Bible
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which] is your reasonable service.
Devotional
John 18:1-6 NASB
¹When Jesus had spoken these words, He went forth with His disciples over the ravine of the Kidron, where there was a garden, in which He entered with His disciples.
²Now Judas also, who was betraying Him, knew the place, for Jesus had often met there with His disciples. ³Judas then, having received the Roman cohort and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, came there with lanterns and torches and weapons.
⁴So Jesus, knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, went forth and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” ⁵They answered Him, “Jesus the Nazarene.” He said to them, “I am He. ” And Judas also, who was betraying Him, was standing with them.
⁶So when He said to them, “I am He, ” they drew back and fell to the ground.
The way of the cross leads home.
Jesus traveled for us the way of the cross. He bids us to follow in His footsteps.
This is not an easy task. Jesus Himself found the cross hard to bear.
He prayed: “If it be possible, let this cup pass from me.”
The way of the cross is a sacrificial way.
As Jesus did, we, too, are to present our bodies “a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God.”
Paul adds that it is our reasonable service.
Jesus took upon Himself the burden of the world’s sins and sorrows.
Those who travel the way of the cross are able to forget self and minister to others in the Master’s name.
The way of the cross is also the way of eternal life.
By way of the cross Jesus passed from death into life, and entered into His glory with the Father.
The way of the cross makes life eternal possible to each of us who takes this way.
Prayer suggestions
▪︎ Ask your heavenly Father to grant you His grace that you may not shrink from the cross, or shun its shame.
▪︎ Ask your heavenly Father to help you to bear it.
▪︎ Ask your heavenly Father to teach you to be ready to help bear the crosses of our fellow men.
Twitter: @SchoemakerHarry
Website 1: https://devotionals.harryschoemaker.nl
Website 2: http://bijbelplaatjes.nl
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