Five Invitations: Day 5

Day 5 - Our Greatest Offering
Romans 12:1-2 

Isaiah sees God’s blazing glory and is forever changed. This holy moment of worship inspires an offering. Isaiah 6:8 says, Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

Isaiah offers himself to God. Biblical worship always includes an offering. Sometimes it’s a financial offering. Sometimes it’s a “sacrifice of praise.” But when Isaiah says, “Here I am!” he looks ahead to Paul’s words in Romans 12: “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 (NIV).” The best offering we can give God is ourselves. Every other offering just points to this ultimate gift. YOU are the best thing you can offer God. Giving your SELF to God is peak worship. God's great glory invites our greatest offering.

Why is that true?

God is already the center of the universe but God needs to be the center of MY universe. Isaiah’s favorite name for God is “Most High.” God is the Supreme Being by nature but when Isaiah calls him “Most High,” he’s saying, “God is my ultimate priority.” God has to move to the center of our lives. Every act of worship is an opportunity to do that.

There’s a paradox to all this. Worship elevates God to his proper place. We elevate God by lowering ourselves. We lower ourselves by admitting, “I’m not God.” We admit God is God and we’re not God by offering ourselves up to God. But lowering ourselves in worship doesn’t debase us, doesn’t steal our value. It lifts us up! It raises our value! It amplifies our dignity! God’s glory glorifies us! Worship makes us feel more human, more alive.

We look at God’s great glory in worship. How do you prioritize worship? Do you prioritize personal worship? Do you prioritize worshiping with others?

God's great glory invites our greatest offering. Have you offered yourself completely to God? Offer yourself today.

REFLECT:
How do you prioritize worship?
What would it look like for you to offer yourself to God?

PRAY:
Here I am, Lord. In Christ, you offered yourself for me. I offer myself to you as a living sacrifice. May this offering be holy and pleasing to you. Amen.