Doing What God Wants - A Sacrifice

Ilene and I have many friends who are firefighters. Everyday they put their lives on the line to protect and save others and their property. They sacrifice their time and their freedom to put their lives in harms way, especially when the are fighting a wild fire. Wildfire bring with them a different set of dangers then a house or building fire. As the fires rage in Texas and other parts of the US, I am reminded about the sacrifice we are all challenged to make.

We should be headed toward home today around noon, if God wants us to. Josh had a good night, he still has not run a fever and although his blood numbers are dropping slowly (which is expected with the chemo) he is still healthy enough to be released.

The doctor told us yesterday that he will need blood products when we get home and that there is a 50 percent chance that he will run a fever (over 100.5) that will require him to go to the ER for IV antibiotics and be transported back here to MD Anderson.

Josh made the point that there is also a 50 percent chance that he won't run a fever, which would mean that we won't need to come back to Houston until September 28th. Josh is right, if God wants us to stay in Dalhart, Josh won't run a fever.

As I read a devotions this morning from Romans 12:1-2 (one of those great passages to memorize) I started reading what Paul was writing in chapter 11. I know that I have studied this before, but his morning there was a freshness to it that I had not experienced in the past.

In Rom 12:1-2 Paul is telling the Romans to give themselves fully to God which is an act of worship.

1And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice -- the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?2Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.
I memorized these verse in the NIV and it said "I urge you brothers in view of God's mercy ...". But I think I like the NLT better because it gives a stronger emphasis on the importance of what Paul is compelling us to do. The question is, why is he pleading with us to do something so dramatic - sacrifice yourself as a living sacrifice? who does that?
But when we go back and read the last 4 verses of chapter 11 we get a little perspective on why Paul wants us to do it. You see in chapter 11 Paul was talking about how Jesus came as a Jew to the Jews (God chose Abraham as the father of His people who were to take God to the rest of the world) who were supposed to then take Jesus to the world. But most of the Jews of Jesus time rejected Him so Paul started telling non-Jews about Gods love and free gift.

At the end of chapter 11 Paul makes the point that God took the most important thing He had and gave it up for us. God paid the price for our sins with the life of His Son Jesus. In Romans 11:33-36 Paul writes:

33Oh, what a wonderful God we have! How great are his riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his methods!34For who can know what the Lord is thinking? Who knows enough to be his counselor?35And who could ever give him so much that he would have to pay it back?36For everything comes from him; everything exists by his power and is intended for his glory. To him be glory evermore. Amen.

What Paul is saying is what a wonderful God we have. He made everything and owns everything, and gave it to us to use. Then when we broke the rules and ruined His plan, He paid the cost to fix it, and He offers the fix to us for free.

So why wouldn't you give everything you have and everything you are to Him, give yourself as a living sacrifice (He doesn't want you to die for Him, He wants you to live for Him). What does that mean ? We are told in Romans 12:2, don't do the things that the world does, don't copy their behavior or attitudes, don't buy into their definition of success, but be changed into a person that thinks like Jesus did, that acts like Jesus did, that loves other people the way Jesus did. Because then you will be a Christ Follower who know and does what God wants you to.

Keep the people in harms way in your prayers as the fires continue to rage in Texas. Thanks for your prayers. We will keep you updated.