Only God can make a way for us each to be both “living” and a “sacrifice.” The contradiction of those two ideas are at play from the beginning of our relationship with God, into one day spending eternity with Him. Only once we surrender our lives to God, we are able to receive the life Jesus gives us. Once we lay down our desires, we receive that which truly satisfies. Once we die to ourselves, we’re able to live for Christ.
As we die in order to live, we embody lives that become “true and proper worship.” All fueled by one small phrase in the verse: “in view of God’s mercy.” God’s mercy has spared us the punishment we deserve, has revealed His great love for us, has set us free from our sin, and enabled us to live lives that bring glory to Him.
We’re all living with something “in view.” Sometimes it can be our own success, achievement, or praise. Sometimes it can be really good things like work, family, and beyond. But unless it’s God’s mercy that we’re looking at, we’ll frequently find ourselves getting tossed around with all the distractions, worries, and desires that the world has to offer. As we keep our eyes on God and the mercy He has extended to us, we are able to live and do for God out of the overflow of all we have received from Him. Let it be true, God!