Lately, I am been thinking. Yes , thinking is normal. Specifically I have been thinking about how, in marriage, while the husband is called to reflect Christ to his bride, they – both man and wife – are together called to live like Christ. Together, they are called to be living sacrifices to the lord who loved and bought them and is both the groom and the friend of the bride. Greater love has no one than he. So, what does it mean to be a sacrifice that pleases the Lord? The sacrifice would be holy (set apart to God) and acceptable (something that meets the requirement for sacrifice). It meets the requirement to be a sacrifice, not just in what it is, but to God. It would be a pure sacrifice, and one loved before it was even made. It meets the prerequisite for the job, one could say. If there were candidates lined up for the job that said, “I want to be a pleasing sacrifice,” they could be asked, “Well, are you?” Or if there were employees walking around with name tags that said “Hi – I’m pleasing sacrifice” that would have to not be just a name but a reality for that name tag to match who they were. Through Christ we do not only desire to be pleasing sacrifices to God but we really are.

Through Him, we are holy as he is – set apart for God – and we are acceptable – so we are not just different in where we are spiritually (like Jesus, separate – in the world but belonging to God) (esv, kjv). We are also different in who we are. We are primarily seen in terms of who we are as creations and new creations – in fact, as creatures, this implies a Creator – we cannot be, much less define ourselves apart from God. We first fell into sin and were then given the gift of God’s son coming into the world to redeem us. And yet, while the fall may be first in the chronology of the world it is NOT first in our identity (see 2 Corinthians). In Christ we share in his righteousness – we are given his righteousness to wear – and so we are holy, acceptable offerings if we give ourselves to God, and we can offer ourselves and also be pleasing to God because we are joined to Christ and covered with his goodness. From that standpoint we can love and serve in joy and peace, both in what we have and what we bear or give, whether at home, work, or wherever we are – whether a mom, dad, son, or daughter, and whatever we do. We can do all to the glory of God because we have been made glorifying to God through Christ. As a hymn says, for the one in Christ,  his commandments then become our happy choice (Swain). That does mean there is no spiritual warfare. In fact, as my pastor has said, if there is a struggle, this implies resistance, which implies that there is a new desire – and if there is a new desire, there is a giver. God has given us new hearts to love and to obey him and to shine his light to others. He has made us new so we can live in freedom and be pleasing to him.

The Lord takes real pleasure in his people and gives them peace. Not just before or after a wedding or a birthday or an election or any other event that has yet to happen but right now – and always. Jesus was a pleasing sacrifice for us and enables us to be sacrifices that are pleasing to God too. He allows us – gives us power even – to love and sing and wonder and praise him from new hearts and with voices set free. We are set free for him and for a witness of who our God really is for his people – Emmanuel, God with us, revealed in us (Card). His name was and is Emmanuel.

He is ours; we are his (English Standard Version, kjv) .

Works Cited.

English Standard Version. ESV. Crossway Bibles, 2001.

The Holy Bible. King James Version.

Card, Michael. Emmanuel. https://www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Michael-Card-and-John-Michael-Talbot/Immanuel-Behold-Now-the-Kingdom, accessed 4 May 2025.

English Standard Version. ESV. Crossway Bibles, 2001. King James Version.

Swain, Joseph.

https://hymnoftheday.com/2022/10/02/come-ye-souls-by-sin-afflicted/, accessed 4 May 2025.

Gleason, Geoff. https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/10223133517548. accessed 4 May 2025.

Note: When I first posted this article, I had left out the in-text citation for Card’s composition. I apologize and have added the correct citation.