Incinerate

In Old Testament days, a burnt offering was a voluntary offering that, among other things, signified complete surrender, devotion and commitment to God. (information from notes in the HCSB Bible)

Voluntary. Complete surrender to God. Complete devotion to God. Complete commitment to God. The burnt offering was burned completely.  It was incinerated. Incinerate v.tr. To cause to burn to ashes. v.intr. To burn completely. The months have swirled and escalated into a climax of decision.  Every way I turn, the same message meets me face-to-face.  I have all but run the opposite direction, feeling like Jonah wanting to point to a place on the map and charge recklessly anywhere but toward that altar. "Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship." Romans 12:1 (HCSB)  The note says, "Our worship entails offering our bodies as a living sacrifice, which means dedication of the total person to living for God's honor." Dedication of the total person. Burnt offerings must be consumed entirely.  Incinerated. Self kicks, writhes, wallows, stands in exact opposition.    One must enter into true discipleship voluntarily.  It's a narrow difficult path, far from the one most trod.  Even in the church on Sunday, with hundreds of voices hitting every note of "Where He leads me, I will follow," only a tiny handful truly live it.  Only a fraction take the nails.  Only a few climb on that altar and let God consume them entirely...a life fully totally dedicated to Him...a life that really will go wherever He leads and do whatever He says. It's foolishness to most.  It's fanatical to those not wanting any inconvenience.  It's simple obedience to the true disciple.  And oh how long I have been disobedient!