Join us in prayer and daily devotions in partnership with our 12 Team Nicaragua members!
SACRIFICE: KNOWING WHERE TO BEGIN
Daily Scripture (Read Romans 12)
“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. Don’t copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:1-2
Daily Devotional—Sacrifice: Knowing Where to Begin
Listening to testimonies of short-term missionaries, I have heard many say that they thought that going on the trip would be a greater sacrifice of time, finances and comfort than the gains they would get from the trip. Afterward, every one seemed to say that they gained far more in what they received from God on the trip than they ever sacrificed. God showed Himself to them in new ways through the people they served and deepened their walk with Himself. Pray that would be true of each of our trip participants.
Today’s topic is sacrifice. As we read today’s verse, we may ask ourselves what kind of sacrifice is acceptable to God and why must we sacrifice? The verse gives us clues. It says we are called to give our bodies as living and holy sacrifices as an act of worship. God instructs us that He wants to first transform us at the thought level. “Let God transform you …by changing the way you think”. Without time to commune with God, we limit our transformation and our ability to know God’s will. Sure, He will still act and love us. He may still move through us. Yet, if we would present ourselves to him, consistently inviting God to enable us to be that living and holy sacrifice He is calling us to be, how much more would we be ready and able to discern how to follow Him and accelerate our own spiritual transformation?
As we seek him, He may bring to mind areas where we need to lay down personal ambitions that run counter to His plans for today or in the future. He may reveal ways that we are trying to get our own way in life rather than follow him. He may put on our heart to reach out to a particular friend or a person in need. He may put His finger on an area of our lives that needs changing. He may encourage us to love someone in a specific tangible way today. He may impress upon us to go without some comfort for a while. It all starts with giving God a space of time to talk to our minds and spirits through quiet reflection, reading of His Word and dialogue in prayer. Ask Him if any of the above areas apply to your life today…
Ask God to give all of us perseverance to make the sacrifice to read the Bible and pray each day. With God, sacrifice leads to eternal riches.
For The Team:
- What sacrifices have you made to be part of this team?
- In what ways are you hoping God will transform you through this experience?
- What are your personal ambitions that run counter to God’s plans for today or in the future?
Pray:
- Pray for perseverance to make the sacrifice to read the Bible and pray each day.
- Pray that each mission team member will gain far more in what they receive from God on this trip than they ever sacrificed.
- Pray that God shows Himself to each mission team member in new ways through the people they serve, and that each team member will deepen their walk with Him.
Love is the root of missions; sacrifice is the fruit of missions.
Roderick Davis