THE ALTAR YOU CHOOSE
Micah Smith
Today's Scripture: "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship." Romans 12:1, ESV
Theme: Worship requires a willing sacrifice.
35,000 DECISIONS
A recent National Institute of Health analysis found that adults make somewhere around 35,000 decisions a day. While many decisions don't have meaningful impacts on our lives—"Do I wear my black shirt or my dark blue shirt?"—other decisions, especially when compounded over time, do have lasting ramifications.
Several years ago, I found myself looking down the road at an upcoming milestone age and wanted to do some diagnostics to understand how my body was aging—to make sure I was set up for the long haul. I found a new doctor, listened to a bunch of podcasts, read a bunch of books on diet and longevity, and even did some top-tier testing: wearing a continuous glucose monitor and getting a coronary artery calcium scan to see how my heart was doing. After all this reading and having all this data, I essentially had to make a choice: Continue living the way I'm living, or make some changes to increase the likelihood that I'd be around in my 80s and 90s. (Shooting for 110 might be a long shot given my genetics, but a guy can dream.)
Here's the thing: I could decide in a moment that "I want to make better decisions when it comes to my health." But the reality is, I had to define the kind of person I wanted to be and make decisions through the lens of what decisions that person would make... every single day. Not just as a one-time thing. I have to continuously ask myself, “What would the kind of person I want to be do in this situation?”
THE DAILY ALTAR
While we can all laser-focus on the part of Romans 12:1 that says, "Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God"—and we can all recognize that maybe we should get a few more steps in, eat a bit healthier, or check in with a doctor more regularly—I want to call out that this verse starts with an appeal. Paul says, "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God." This is a fresh reminder that we have a CHOICE about the way we live for Him. God lets us choose.
Paul's not commanding; he's appealing based on what God has already done for us. We have all the information—God's mercies, His grace, His sacrifice for us—but we still have to choose. And that choice is daily. He also mentions presenting ourselves as a "living sacrifice"... which, is kind of an oxymoron, right? Dead sacrifices in the Old Testament were one-and-done. But living sacrifices? We have to crawl back onto the altar every single day.
When we make choices that align with biblical teaching and honor God—that's a form of worship. When we make choices that feel good in the moment but take us farther from God—that's a form of worship too, just not to Him. Should I pick up pizza while I'm out, or should I make something for dinner? Should I work out today or take the day off? Should I take this opportunity to encourage someone on my team at work, or should I blast them for screwing up a recent project? In all of those choices, there's a route that feels easy or satisfying in the moment... and there's a route we know is likely better for us, better for those around us, and honoring to God.
Now, to be 100% clear, my choice between a blue or black shirt likely has zero bearing on honoring God – and I also want to acknowledge – I'm not a robot, and eating pizza is ok every once in a while. But what habits, patterns, and choices are you making in your life that could use reexamination? This isn't just about physical health. It's about every area of life: how we spend our time, how we treat people, how we use our money, how we parent our kids, how we pursue our ambitions.
Worship isn't just what happens on Sunday morning. It's the person you're becoming through (some of your) 35,000 daily choices.
Make it Personal: What kind of person do you want to be? Now ask yourself: are your daily choices—about food, time, relationships, work, rest—reflecting that person? What would it look like to crawl back onto the altar today and ask, "What would the person I'm becoming in Christ do in this situation?" Remember, Paul's not commanding you—he's appealing to you based on God's mercies. You have a choice. What will you choose?
Pray: Father, thank You for Your mercies that make this appeal possible. Forgive me for the times I've chosen comfort over sacrifice and self over service. Help me see that worship isn't just songs on Sunday—it's the daily choice to present myself to You. Give me the strength to crawl back onto the altar today, tomorrow, and every day after. Shape me into the person You've called me to be, one choice at a time. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Read: Romans 12:1-2, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Weekly Memory Verse:
“Come, let us bow down in worship,
let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;” Psalm 95:6, NIV