A Living Sacrifice.

 The popular scripture- Romans 12:1, is a tip on how to offer ourselves as a "living sacrifice" to God.

Romans 12:1{KJV}; "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."

Living Sacrifice, contains two words....Living and Sacrifice.

-Living, could mean several things. It has different meanings based on the context it is being used. Living could mean "livelihood", it could also mean "way of life/lifestyle", finally Living also means "alive" ,"existent", "breathing".

Now to sacrifice. Most times, when we hear of "sacrifice"...we think of the ritual scenes we see in our Nollywood movies. But there's more to sacrifice than just slaughtering.

Sacrifice, according to Google's first definition, is an act of slaughtering an animal or person or surrendering a possession as an offering to a deity.—mark the word "surrendering ".

It could also mean the act of giving up (something valued) for the sake of other considerations. 

In the Old Testament, we see various stories of so many sacrifices made and rendered to God.

But let me show you what a "living sacrifice " really is. The psalmist(David), in Psalm 51:16-17, expressly tells us what God refers to, as a sacrifice—"for thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou will not despise."

God delights in a broken and remorseful heart(person), who is forever ready to do God's will. 

Another pointer is in Psalm 40:6-7;

"[6] It’s not sacrifices that really move your heart. Burnt offerings, sin offerings—those aren’t what bring you joy. But when you open my ears and speak to me, I become your willing servant, your prisoner of love for life. [7] So I said, “Here I am! I’m coming to you as a sacrifice, for in the prophetic scrolls of your book you have written about me. [8] I delight to fulfill your will, my God, for your living words are written upon the pages of my heart.”

Based on these scriptures....You become a living sacrifice offered not unto a deity, but unto God—when you forsake your old ways and accept Christ as your Lord and Personal Saviour; when you choose to forsake your "self-will" and delight to do the will of the Father—John 6:38.

 Part of the will of God for our lives as living sacrifices, is to live holy even as our Father in heaven is. Holy, without blemish(sin) ...so our lives would be accepted by God.

A living sacrifice is not just a sacrifice that is alive, but it is one that is alive in the will of God: alive in Christ as a new being, who is ready to do the will of the Father. A living sacrifice is one who surrenders totally to the will of the Father.

Incase you're still holding on to a particular area of your life, still trying to get it figured out your own way...this is a reminder for you to totally submit your will to the will of the Father.

John 3:30 is one of my favourite verses of the Bible—"He must increase, but I must decrease"