By The Mercies of God

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." —Romans 12:1 [KJV]

Just before our dear Saviour left his apostles, He gave them this commission, "Preach the gospel;" glad tidings of the everlasting love and mercy of God, in Christ, to poor sinners. By this truth, through the power of the Spirit, souls are brought to repentance, faith, and salvation; and by the sweet force and constraining influence of the same truth, believers are to be exhorted, animated, and stirred up to glorify God in their souls and bodies which are His. This was the apostles' practice. With what affection and love do they address the members of Jesus! 

The sound of wrath and terror, the thunderings of hell and damnation are not used to soldiers in the camp of Jesus. No; they are exhorted by love and mercy. So we delight to hear: and from these most powerful motives we cheerfully obey. We present our bodies a living sacrifice upon that altar which consecrates the gift, even Jesus. We are holy in Him, acceptable unto God through Him. We own it "our reasonable service;" we are not our own. We acknowledge it our bounden duty. Christ hath bought us with the price of His own blood. 

Lord, give power to obey, and command what Thou wilt. Consider, O Christian, while thy poor soul was dead in trespasses and sins, thy body was a wretched slave to the drudgery of Satan and thy vile lusts. Now a better Master demands its service. It is of God's mercies in Christ thy soul is quickened, and by the same mercies thou art required to yield thy body as a living sacrifice. It is now the temple of the Holy Ghost, therefore to be consecrated to holy purposes. 

Was David so struck with the distinguishing favor of being a king, as to dance joyfully before the ark?—II Samuel 6:14. O, consider our eternal mercies in Christ, being kings and priests unto God! Meditate daily, hourly on this. How should it affect our hearts with love, raise our spirits in triumph, inflame our affections with zeal for God's glory! Our spiritual mercies are not common to all. Carnal men are ignorant of, and despise them. O study then to approve yourselves as the peculiar, highly distinguished favorites of heaven. As the elect of God, be clothed with humility: yet, as kings' sons, live upon heavenly food; and act as those who dare not demean themselves by a practice below their royal dignity. "He that saith he abideth in Christ, ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked."—I John 2:6.

The tender mercies of thy God 

O live and spread His praise abroad, 

Daily recount my soul, 

While love thy pow'rs control. 

Thy soul and body offer up 

Holy to God thro' Jesus' love: 

A living sacrifice, 

Let nothing less suffice.

 

-preacher William Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)