Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

While listening to a sermon in which this verse was used, I remembered an old teaching about the issue of presenting your bodies to the King.

Genesis 24:26 And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the Lord.

1 Chronicles 29:20 And David said to all the congregation, Now bless the Lord your God. And all the congregation blessed the Lord God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads, and worshipped the Lord, and the king.

The issue of bowing one’s head before the Lord and Kings is as old a custom as there is in any of scriptures and history. Historically it has a significant meaning we do not often associate with worship but has associated meaning with Romans 21:1.

Custom was that when you come before your King a servant would bow his head as if he were about to be executed, beheaded. His life was in the King’s hand, to do with as the King pleased. It also meant that his mind had lost its independence, that no thought would ever be uttered that was not also subject to the King’s will.

When we look to the issue of presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice in Romans 12:1 we often lose sight of that worldly custom, we are after all so far removed from living under ancient kings. But we do serve the King of Glory and our lives are His to do with as He wills. We have the mind of Christ, His thoughts should be our thoughts.

We know our loving Lord and Savior full of grace, merciful and forgiving almost to the exclusion of His absolute authority over every aspect of our lives. Perhaps we should remember that.

Isaiah 62:6 I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence,

If you are a fan of Game of Thrones you will recognize this quote from Night’s Watch Commander Jon Snow, “And now my watch is ended.” It was with this word he ended his vow to the Night’s Watch. It was a covenant between men and duty, that was not to be broken except by death.

1 Corinthians 11:25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” ESV

Let me ask you this very pointed question; do you have the right to say your watch is ended?

We often drink the cup of remembrance and with it say “Our watch has not ended.” Only a physical death in this life we live releases us from oath we took when we were set to be watchers on the wall.

Have you kept silent? Have you not mentioned the Lord day and night?

You have taken the cup of remembrance but what did you remember? His death, His resurrection, His promises, His grace, His mercy, His forgiveness, have you remembered all that? How about your knight’s watch? Have you forgotten your oath my brothers of the Knight’s Watch?

Hebrews 6:11-12 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Our watch is not over.