O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.

   - Psalm 5.3

And so, tirelessly, I thank my God, Who kept me faithful on the day I was tried, so that today I might offer to Him, the Lord Christ, the sacrifice of my living soul.

   - Patrick, Confession, Irish, 5th century

Patrick is referring to his decision to go back to Ireland. He managed to escape captivity in Ireland and to return to his home in the west of England after six years of slavery. His parents made him swear he would never leave again.

But in a vision the Lord had called him to return to Ireland. His family protested, and his clergy were not keen on the notion. He “was tried” because he felt inclined to please his family and obey his pastors rather than follow what he believed to be the clear calling of the Lord.

What to do?

He offered up his soul – mind, heart, conscience – to the Lord and let Him make the determination.

God calls each of us to do the same. We can always find good reasons why we shouldn’t invest more of ourselves in the work of the Lord: not enough time, don't want to seem fanatical, spouse or children object, pastors stand in the way, and on and on.

But seek the Lord first thing each morning, and offer your soul up to Him as a living sacrifice (Rom. 12.1, 2), and He will guide and empower you – and make you willing and able (Phil. 2.13) – for the Kingdom work He has prepared for you that day.

God is calling us to seek His Kingdom, make disciples, build His Church, turn our world rightside-up for Jesus. Other voices – within our souls and without – try us and tempt us to rationalize away obedience to the clear teaching of Scripture. Like Patrick we must heed the revelation of God rather than any voice that may try to discourage us from serving the Lord with our lives.

Who knows? God may use you like He used Patrick.

But you’ll never know until you offer Him, every single day, the sacrifice of your soul.

Psalm 5.1-3 (Meirionydd: “O Savior, Precious Savior”)
O Lord, attend and hear me, consider how I groan.
Receive my cries and near be, and love me as Your own.
By morning, Lord, I seek You, for You will hear my voice;
My every need You speak to and make my soul rejoice!

I would rejoice in my soul, O Lord, to give myself to You each day; make me willing and able, willing and able, O Lord!