“The problem with a living sacrifice is that it can crawl off the altar…..”
That simple passage comes from The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. I read it well over a decade ago and that line has always stuck with me.
I especially think of it at mass after I’ve received communion and I’m kneeling. I love watching others process up the aisle. It’s the simple line of person after person, slowly moving up to the front of church - old and young, sick and healthy, black and white, everyone. As screwed up as the world is, as busy as we are, and as many fun things as there are to do, it’s a Sunday morning and it amazes me that people still go to church. They go because their hearts understand this passage too, and in that special moment, they are literally and actively living out the reality of what it means to be a living sacrifice.
I’ve thought a lot about this passage and asked myself why I find it so memorable?
I’ve realized it sums up the really important stuff in such a simple way.
How’s that?
For one, we are a living sacrifice. That’s our role. Secondly, being an active, living sacrifice is really, really hard.
Why?
Because we’re human and on our pilgrim journey with struggles and pains and feelings and desires. We struggle to believe, we struggle to be nice and kind, we struggle to do the right and just and pure and loving thing instead of the selfish, easy, comfortable and pleasurable thing. We face scary moments and we struggle to trust. In short, we’ve got a lot going on.
We see these struggles in ourselves, in each other, in our church, and in our world, and we say, “Where’s God? How can there even BE a God?” If we don’t think critically and take hold of these struggles, we can assume they point us away from God, and that’s the cruel twist in the screenplay of our lives. They point us directly TO God. These struggles ARE the sacrifice. These are the moments we can find God by surrendering, continually, on that altar. But often times, as the passage points out, we prefer to crawl off.
Where does this living sacrifice idea come from?
“I urge you therefore, brothers (and sisters), by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship. Do not conform yourself to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:1
What might we do to be a better living sacrifice?
1. LIVE!!!!
To be a living sacrifice, you have to be alive. Are you? I think most of us think we’re alive, but just because you’re not dead doesn’t mean you’re living. To be living means to go out after things and be intentional. As a spouse, parent, grandparent, child, business person, teacher, doctor, accountant, account manager, you name it….are you really living that role? Or just showing up? Set a goal for yourself. Begin with the end in mind. When you’re living and going after something, you’re not numb. There’s goods and bads and happy and sads…..and that’s what can make you aware that you need to get up on the altar. The goal gives you the vehicle to live, and the work allows you to be the sacrifice. When we’re not living or going anywhere, we’re numb and hiding and no good to anybody and certainly not a worthy sacrifice.
2. Pray, reflect and connect
Monday Funeral helps me with this. It’s a tool to help me pray, reflect, connect and renew. It is this habit of renewal that helps me as my “living” happens, I get better and better at putting myself on the altar and then keeping myself there. It is through our praying, reflecting and connecting that we develop the right mind and strength to be an active, living sacrifice. The good moments we give to Him. The mundane moments we give to Him. The sad and tragic moments we give to Him. So, every living moment we give to Him. And it’s a cycle, because as we get better at understanding and acting on this, we then live more deeply.
3. Look in the mirror
We tend to think we’re always right. We tend to find fault in others. We tend to justify how great we are. We tend to avoid some of our errors and shortcomings and struggles with sin. Stop doing that. Look in the mirror. Let God look in it with you. Focus on yourself and being your best. Stop worrying about others. When you’re mad or sad or jealous or worried or have the blahs, develop the habit of looking in the mirror with God. He’ll point out how beautiful you are. You’ll see how much you’re not being thankful for the gift of life. And together you’ll realize, in serving Him and others, you should just get out there and live. And you do that by getting back on that altar.