“Good morning, Lord! This is Your day. I am your child: show me Your way.” Around twenty-five years ago a tiny older lady who was part of our small group shared this prayer as her way of dedicating herself to God each day before she even got out of bed. How quaint. It seemed simplistic to me. So naïve and … childlike! But since then these have been the first words out of my mouth every day of my life, with an additional element I tacked on a little over a year ago.
Romans 12:1 reads, “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—this is your true and proper worship.” According to Rick Renner in Sparkling Gems from the Greek, “God desires that we surrender ourselves and all that we are to God’s supervision, making a solemn pledge that we are His and that He can therefore use us in whatever way He wishes.” And this is not just to be a one-time decision, but a continual surrender and consecration.
It has only been through learning more about the unique ways God has equipped me to serve Him that I am more fully able to offer myself for His use. Through prayerfully completing the Your One Degree workbook by Dave Jewett, I have confident humility that I have specific things to offer Him. Here are some of the words that I believe describe who God made me to be: Encourager, Relator, Planner, Builder, Refiner. Now these words mean nothing to you. But as I write them I smile. Because God loves me enough to give me a unique combination of spiritual gifts and skills and experiences and people who have influenced me through my life so that I have the privilege of giving them back to Him. That is my way to offer my body to Him as a living sacrifice.
So, if we are ever at an overnight retreat together don’t be surprised if, as you are waking up, you overhear something like this coming from my corner of the room: “Good morning, Lord! This is Your day. I am your child: show me Your way to champion hope, to learn and share encouraging words, to relate faithfully, to plan and execute action plans and to enjoy life!”
What a delight to know, accept and surrender myself to my Lord.
