Latest / Growing Closer to God with Guided Meditation / What is a Living Sacrifice? | Meditation from Romans 12:1
Transcript
- 0:05Pastor Robert Young: Welcome to this week's Guided Christian Meditation.
- 0:08Pastor Robert Young: Here we put aside all distractions to enter into God's presence and hear from God better and to allow the Holy Spirit to make us more like Christ.
- 0:25Pastor Robert Young: I'm your host, Pastor Robert Young, and thank you for allowing me to be your guide on this journey.
- 0:32Pastor Robert Young: If you're new to Guided Christian Meditation, check out our episode 164, Getting Started in Guided Christian Meditation.
- 0:43Pastor Robert Young: Episode 164 explains the why and even the science of all of the stages of meditation that we practice.
- 0:55Pastor Robert Young: If you suffer from severe anxiety, depression, or trauma, psychotic episodes, or if you're in active addiction, then please consult your physician before beginning this or any meditation practice.
- 1:17Pastor Robert Young: Our scripture for this week is from Romans chapter twelve, verse one, which says, 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.
- 1:40Pastor Robert Young: This is your true and proper worship.
- 1:47Pastor Robert Young: But first, according to Scriptures, God requires us to be completely involved and free from wrongful acts in mind, body, and spirit.
- 2:00Pastor Robert Young: Confession prepares the heart for being in the presence of an Almighty God.
- 2:08Pastor Robert Young: Let's begin by repeating the prayer that King David prayed in Psalm fifty one verses one through four, where it says Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness, according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out my transgressions, wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
- 2:43Pastor Robert Young: For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.
- 3:03Pastor Robert Young: Before we start to reflect on Romans chapter twelve, verse one, let's prepare our mind by closing our eyes and taking a deep breath as we invite the presence of God to fill us.
- 3:18Pastor Robert Young: Now, take a deep breath in for a count of seven, hold the breath for a count of four, and release slowly for a count of seven.
- 3:29Pastor Robert Young: Repeat this breathing pattern three more times.
- 3:50Pastor Robert Young: Now let's prepare our body by releasing any tension with muscle relaxation exercises.
- 3:59Pastor Robert Young: We will simply tense each muscle group for three seconds and then release the muscle.
- 4:06Pastor Robert Young: As we always say, don't hold your breath for this portion of the meditation.
- 4:13Pastor Robert Young: Let's start with the calf muscles.
- 4:16Pastor Robert Young: Lightly tense the calf muscles for a count of three.
- 4:20Pastor Robert Young: Now release.
- 4:23Pastor Robert Young: Moving upward to the hamstrings, quads, and the glutes.
- 4:29Pastor Robert Young: Lightly tense for three seconds.
- 4:32Pastor Robert Young: Now release.
- 4:34Pastor Robert Young: Moving upward to the abdominals, chest and back area.
- 4:42Pastor Robert Young: Lightly tense for three seconds.
- 4:44Pastor Robert Young: Now release.
- 4:47Pastor Robert Young: Finally, moving to the arms and shoulders.
- 4:52Pastor Robert Young: Lightly tense these muscle groups for three seconds.
- 4:56Pastor Robert Young: Now release.
- 5:00Pastor Robert Young: Now we can begin to enter into worship by repeating Psalms 100, verses 1 through 3, where it says, Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
- 5:14Pastor Robert Young: Worship the Lord with gladness.
- 5:17Pastor Robert Young: Come before him with joyful songs.
- 5:20Pastor Robert Young: Let's take a moment to lift up our voice in praise and thanksgiving to our Heavenly Father, who is worthy of all honor and glory, by repeating Psalms chapter 8, verse 9, which says, Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth.
- 5:53Pastor Robert Young: Let's close our eyes now and focus our entire being on this divine appeal from Romans chapter twelve, verse one, which is, to offer yourself as a living sacrifice.
- 6:12Pastor Robert Young: First, consider the phrase, in view of God's mercy.
- 6:19Pastor Robert Young: Let the weight of God's complete forgiveness, endless patience, and unmerited grace wash over you.
- 6:30Pastor Robert Young: The command to sacrifice is not a burden, but a reasonable response.
- 6:39Pastor Robert Young: Your only logical response to the depth of his love for you.
- 6:46Pastor Robert Young: Now, contemplate the paradox, a living sacrifice.
- 6:54Pastor Robert Young: All ancient sacrifices were killed.
- 6:59Pastor Robert Young: Paul asked you to do something harder, to live, yet die to your desires daily.
- 7:08Pastor Robert Young: Imagine your whole life, your time, your talents, your ambitions, your very physical body as a living offering placed on God's altar.
- 7:25Pastor Robert Young: Your hands that work, your voice that speaks, your feet that walk, your mind that plans are all concentrated, set apart for God's purposes.
- 7:41Pastor Robert Young: The sacrifice doesn't happen once, it is a daily surrender.
- 7:48Pastor Robert Young: Every morning you choose to get back on the altar, choosing his will over your own comfort or desire.
- 8:00Pastor Robert Young: Feel the profound peace that comes from this surrender.
- 8:08Pastor Robert Young: This daily act of giving your whole life to him.
- 8:12Pastor Robert Young: Your Monday morning commute, your evening with family, your difficult conversations, your quiet moments of rest is defined by the Apostle Paul as your true and proper worship.
- 8:39Pastor Robert Young: Visualize a part of your life you have been holding back.
- 8:43Pastor Robert Young: Perhaps your fear, your ambition, your hurt, or your need for control.
- 8:50Pastor Robert Young: See yourself gently placing that single thing onto the altars.
- 8:58Pastor Robert Young: Tell the Lord, this is yours.
- 9:02Pastor Robert Young: I release my claim to it.
- 9:05Pastor Robert Young: Use it or take it away.
- 9:13Pastor Robert Young: Let's take five minutes to really check our hearts to see if our deepest desire is to honor God with our whole lives by asking ourselves these questions.
- 9:28Pastor Robert Young: One, what part of my body, my time, or my will am I resisting or trying to take off the altar today?
- 9:41Pastor Robert Young: Two, am I viewing my daily life, my job, my family, my acts of service as my true and proper worship?
- 9:53Pastor Robert Young: What specific practical choice can I make today to die to self?
- 10:03Pastor Robert Young: So that God's will may live through me.
- 15:05Pastor Robert Young: After pondering the reflection questions, is there anything that you need to ask God to help you with?
- 15:12Pastor Robert Young: If so, take one more minute to do it now.
- 15:18Pastor Robert Young: He's ready to forgive and to strengthen you.
- 16:29Pastor Robert Young: Repeat the following affirmation now and for the next seven days:
- 16:29Pastor Robert Young: Thank you, Lord, for your great mercy.
- 16:33Pastor Robert Young: I present my body as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to you, which is my true and proper worship.
- 16:46Pastor Robert Young: Again, thank you, Lord, for your great mercy.
- 16:51Pastor Robert Young: I present my body as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to you, which is my true and proper worship.
- 17:13Pastor Robert Young: Our assignment.
- 17:15Pastor Robert Young: Listen to this meditation daily until it saturates your soul. Follow up every day with the daily devotionals and reflection questions about this subject.
- 17:29Pastor Robert Young: And as you reflect on God's goodness and mercy, your soul will begin to ignite with desire for more of God's presence.
- 17:40Pastor Robert Young: Amen.