This is part 2 of what I started posting yesterday:
The sacrifice that I present to God - that is my whole self - must have three characteristics. It must be living, holy, acceptable. If I have made this threefold sacrifice, then I will prove the will of God to be threefold - good, acceptable, perfect. The trinity of presentation brings a trinity of proof.
If my sacrifice, my presentation of myself, is living, alert, ready and fully prepared, then the will of God will always be good to me. The mercy of God that gave me life will lead me always to expect nothing but good from such a Heavenly Father. Because I now live, He can be nothing but goodness to me.
If the presentation of myself to God is holy, then whatever His will may be, it will be acceptable to me. The word "holy" here means separate, set apart for God, and the word "acceptable" means well-pleasing. Thus if I am truly set apart for God and His purposes, whatever His will may be, it is well-pleasing to me.
If my offering is acceptable, then I will find His will to be perfect. "Acceptable" again means well-pleasing, and "perfect" here means complete, with nothing missing. How appropriate this third part is then. If I am well-pleasing to God, His will will be complete, nothing will be missing. Thus, if I present myself, I will most surely prove His will to be good, well-pleasing and complete. And so it will come to pass that my prepared heart, ready always to do His will, will never limit the purpose and counsels of God.
Another truth we find in Romans 12:1,2, is that "presentation leads to transformation." As I present my body, living, holy, acceptable to God, the command then comes in verse 2, "Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed." This transformation is not something I can do myself. I can only be transformed by the renewing of my mind - or as the Amplified Version says, "by the [entire] renewal of your mind - by its new ideals and its new attitude."
This is the cost of having a prepared heart.
--- John E. Hunter ----
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