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. [Romans 12:1 (NLT)]

Does God truly have our bodies? Are we His twenty-four/seven or just for a few hours on Sunday? Do we worship with our entire selves or with just our lips? In the Old Testament, the sacrifices were dead animals; in the New Testament, the sacrifices are living Christians. Jesus died for us; we are to sacrifice ourselves and live for Him. Do our lives constitute a holy sacrifice?

Heavenly Father, I give you my eyes—show me how to use them to see what you want to have done. I give you my hands—show me how to use them to serve you. I give you my voice—show me how to use it to teach, encourage and console. I give you my arms—show me how to use them to offer both welcome and comfort. I give you my feet—show me how to use them to spread your holy word. Fill my mind with your wisdom, my heart with your love, and my soul with your Holy Spirit. I am yours, Lord, give me a task.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much
seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
[Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi]

Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. [Romans 6:13b (NLT)]

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