Saturday, February 14, 2026

Opening Scripture

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:17-18

Opening Prayer

Gracious Father, I praise you for all that you are and all that you’ve done. I praise you for your abundant blessings to me in Jesus Christ, my Lord and your Son. I praise you for your Spirit who lives in me, comforting, counseling, and guiding each day. Thank you for adopting me into your eternal family. I offer myself to you this day, through Jesus Christ, who rules and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever more. Amen.

Daily Bible Reading

Romans 12:1-2

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Reflection  

People living in the Roman Empire 2,000 years ago understood very well what a religious sacrifice was. Jews, Greeks, and pagans all used sacrifices as part of their worship rituals. Typically, an animal was placed on an altar and killed to demonstrate devotion and please the deity being worshipped. The only sacrifice they knew about was a dead sacrifice.

The Apostle Paul introduced a revolutionary concept to the Christians living in Rome. He encouraged them to be “living sacrifices.” In other words, they weren’t supposed to just bring a sacrifice to God as part of their worship, they were the sacrifice. Followers of Jesus are to offer the parts of their body to God “as instruments of righteousness” (Romans 6:13).

There was no such thing as a living sacrifice until Jesus’ resurrection! He paid the price – once and for all – to atone for our sin and make a way for us to be right with God. He defeated death and promised that his followers would, too. Now, instead of animal sacrifice at the temple, we offer ourselves daily to God, sacrificing our old nature and submitting to the Holy Spirit as an act of worship.

Flourishing Habit

Meaning and Purpose

God doesn’t need us to worship Him, but we desperately need to worship Him. We were created to worship. Everyone worships something. The problem is that most people choose to worship the wrong thing.

God commands us to worship Him because it’s what we were made for. When we worship God, it heals and restores us. When we worship God, it reminds us of who He is and who we are. Worshipping God appropriately – with reverence and awe, in spirit and truth – satisfies something deep within us. It gives meaning and purpose to our lives.

Worshipping God puts things in proper perspective. It helps cure us of our self-centeredness and it protects us from Satan’s lies. If we worship anything other than Almighty God, it destroys us.

For some people, worship only happens at a particular place and time. They may gather for a service in a sanctuary but are too often concerned about what they like or don’t like. Their personal comfort and individual preferences contextualize the whole experience for them. They miss the transcendence of the moment.

For disciples of Jesus, worship is a way of life! It is a constant conversation with God and a continuous orientation to His purposes. Rather than focusing only on what we want, we focus on what God wants.

What would it look like for you to be a “living sacrifice” today?

Remember: Nothing changes until something changes!