Spiritual Service

“I urge you therefore, 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.”  Romans 12:1

Spiritual service – What images come to mind when you read these two words?  Do you get a pang of guilt because you passed on joining the choir?  Do you think about the Wednesday night Bible study group?  Or the finance committee?  Are your images restricted to volunteering for “church” jobs?   If any of these jumped into your mind, you need to look a little deeper.

You just can’t get this without both words.  These two words cover a lot of ground and there is some debate about what they mean.  The first word (logikos) contains some thought of “reasonable” (do you see the word logic in it?) but the word was also used to describe spiritual thanksgiving.  The second word (letreia) can mean service but it is also used for worship.  So, we end up with a very complex thought.  It involves logical thought.  But it has spiritual overtones.  It applies to service, but it is service that is connected to worship. 

Logical, spiritual, service, worship.  Remember that Paul is talking about your body – the flesh and blood, you in the world, moving around, living being.  Paul’s great thought is that what you do with your body should be directly connected to sacrifice.  In order for us to see this connection, Paul points toward the logic behind it – Jesus died for you.  God owns your life.  You are not your own master.  Logic says, “God sacrificed for me.  I should sacrifice for Him.”  Then there is the spiritual connection.  This act of sacrifice is a spiritual decision.  It affects my body but it is motivated by spiritual desires to show Him my gratitude.  That means it is spiritual service, done out of thanksgiving.  It is not service as employment.  It is service as commitment.  And that makes it worship.  Worship is giving honor and thanks to God. 

Here’s the punch line.  Whatever you do with your body can be the logical result of God’s grace, show in your response of thanksgiving and gratitude.  You can make this sacrifice anywhere, anytime and any place.  It’s not about church.  It’s about life!  It’s about your life becoming the obvious dedication to a commitment to God.  Is that the way you live and move?  Is that how you treat your body?  Is that what you do when the lights are out?  Whoever said that faith leaves logic behind never read Paul. 

Today:  Be reasonable!  God gave you life so that you could offer it back to Him in a constant state of worship.  How does your body reflect that spiritual service?