I'm a Goat

I have a verse stuck in my head.

It's Romans 12:1: "Therefore I urge you, brothers, in light of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship."

I first found this verse a few months back...I was looking for a 'life verse,' a verse that summarizes what I feel God's purpose is for me. I didn't think about it too much, but I chose this verse. I liked this verse because my (at the moment) current interpretation of the verse made me think it was about being God's instrument. About worshiping not by ritual or religion, but by serving God with every fiber and sinew in me.

But it's much deeper than that....

I recently read John Ortberg's explanation of the verse: "During a Jewish sacrifice an animal would be killed, then its body would be placed on the altar and consumed. So what happens if you put a live creature on the fire...then light the fire? The creature will jump right off that altar!"

Whoa...so is Paul really talking about being an old testament sin offering goat, or living a life of the Christian faith?

Yes and no, I think.

See (and I am no theologian by any stretch of the imagination), I think this verse is really about surrendering to God's plan and call in your life. Because, let's face it, that involves some crazy stuff. Things you really think are not such a good idea, but things you realize you should do. Things that the secular world will think are loony. Things that open you up to really living.

In my experience, I feel like I am crawling off the altar every time God asks something of me. Because He usually asks challenging things of me...He wants me to grow and be transformed. I want an easy task, or catch myself trying to get out of what He's telling me to do.

I'm one wimpy goat.

Well, why does it matter what kind of goat I am?

Because God asked Jesus to do something He didn't want to do. Jesus asks, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."

Jesus was the ultimate living sacrifice on the cross. Not a goat, but a sacrificial lamb. Why? Because of God's mercy.

Now, in my humble opinion, that's something really worth living for. That's someone to strive to emulate in all your thoughts and actions. The more I think about this verse, the more I love it...because it challenges me and sums up my heart's desire.

I pray that I (and others) will learn to see the sacrificial fire burning and not crawl off. To surrender and submit to our Maker's plans for us. To let His love and mercy consume us.

Let's be lambs, not goats.