When people talk about purity, they usually talk about saving yourself for your future mate, or not doing certain things, keeping your body pure because it's the temple of God, making your thoughts pure, etc. All those things are wonderful things that God commands us to do; but as I was thinking about what I'd write for this week's purity post, God showed me something that had never occurred to me before.
Last night at church, we had a night specifically of worship. After our worship through songs, we broke off into small groups and discussed what worship was, what it meant to worship. We concluded that any way that we honor, serve, magnify, and bring glory to God is an act of worship. Then I thought, my purity can be an act of worship too!
"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:1-2, ESV)
When we present our bodies as holy, living sacrifices to God, that is worship! The world tries to get us to conform to its ways and deceive us by saying that purity is not a big deal--in fact, it's un-cool. But when God renews our minds, we then see the corrupt thinking of this world. Even though it's often difficult and many times awkward, God wants us to live pure lives in a filthy world, full of impurity. But God's will is good and acceptable and perfect, and by His strength, we can keep ourselves pure and offer our lives as living sacrifices to Him.
Worship is not just singing and praise. I can worship God through the purity of my mind, body, and heart. I can't do it on my own, though. I must daily sacrifice myself, my desires, my thoughts, so that He can renew me and my mind. I want to save myself for my future husband, if marriage is the plan God has for me. But most of all, I want to remain pure for God, and spend these years learning to serve Him, glorify Him, and worship Him.
So I would encourage you all, keep your minds pure as worship to God. Keep your temple pure as an offering of worship to your Savior. May HE be glorified in our purity!
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If any of you are interested in participating in Lexi's "Purity Challenge" this month, visit her blog Choosing to Wait to find out more. If you do a post about purity, make sure you link up on her site by Thursday (11th) night to be eligible for an awesome giveaway!
