I BESEECH YOU / ТА НАРААС ХИЧЭЭНГҮЙЛЭН ГУЙЯ

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

Apostle Paul has known the mercy of GOD. He had the knowledge of GOD. All he wanted was to know CHRIST. He counted all things as loss for knowing CHRIST. To the believers in Philippi sharing his heart wrote he:

"But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ...that I may know Him..." Philippians 3:7-10

With his intimate knowledge of CHRIST, he "beseech"-ed the brethren in Romans by the mercies of GOD. For our GOD is a GENTLEMAN. He never asks or requires of us anything without a preface or making the first move, even though HE could do so. For after all, HE is the CREATOR of all and LORD of all things, who is self-existent and self-sufficient. Yet HE is a GOD of love. Love is HIS nature. Though HE could make HIS demands on us with a voice so loud and a sound with thunder, yet HE chooses to win us with the "banner of love". HE is the Author of love, the Author of marriage, a great mystery of two becoming one, of husband and wife, of the Christ and the church. That's why there is a word "therefore", implying in the light of what is being said in the previous chapters from Romans 1 to 11.

This Great GOD called Abram to HIS friendship journey in HIS love and mercy (Genesis 12:1-3) and thus, HE began revealing HIS great faithfulness to him. HIS promises made to Abram were "Yes and Amen" as he learned to put his faith and trust in HIM, and soon his name changed to "Abraham" - meaning "a father of many nations". GOD's promised child Isaac was born to Abraham and his wife Sarah when Abraham was 100 and Sarah 90 years old.

And in Genesis 22:5, we find the first mention of word "worship" used by Abraham when GOD tested him to offer up his only son Isaac.

"And Abraham said to his young men, 'stay here with the donkey, the lad and i will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.'" Genesis 22:5    

Offering to GOD his all and all that GOD has given to Abraham represented by his loved son Isaac was a worship that GOD took note of. It pleased the LORD. For in that moment, in Abraham's heart there was no place for anybody or anything else except GOD HIMSELF. This is a true worship and a true service. And this is what GOD wants from all of us - Christians.

GOD's test to Abraham asking him to offer up his son Isaac, didn't come out of nowhere, it came from a long history of GOD's goodness and faithfulness shown to Abraham. GOD was the ONE who called Abraham out with a heavenly call from where he were and therefore, HE tested him.

One may think that it was a harsh thing asking Abraham's only son to be given to GOD as a sacrifice. But may I remind you that it was a test and behind it, there was a heart beat of GOD who would send HIS only SON JESUS to be given for the mankind on a cross for their salvation because of HIS great love for them. Oh, what love displayed and heart beat made known!

Knowing this love and such heart of GOD makes me gladly raise my hands up to heaven and unreservedly offer my life to GOD.

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?..." said Paul.

And answered himself said,

"For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39

In the light of the greatest love and work portrayed and accomplished on the cross by the LORD JESUS, Paul beseeches us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to GOD which is our reasonable service or worship.

The word translated "reasonable" is logikos in Greek where the word "logic or logical" came from. In other words, presenting or offering our bodies [our lives] is a logical action, according to reason in the light of what GOD has done for us and how HE loved us. Yet HE beseeches us with HIS mercies to do so. Oh, HE is a good GOD. HE is so good. It is expected of us to offer our lives to GOD.

Therefore, I beseech you my friend, beloved of GOD to present your body a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto GOD.

For GOD loves you so much and all that HE thinks of you is good. May HE use your life to impact and bring many people to HIS loving side.