Psalm 103

6The LORD works righteousness
   and justice for all who are oppressed.
7He made known his ways to Moses,
   his acts to the people of Israel.
8The LORD is merciful and gracious,
   slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9He will not always chide,
   nor will he keep his anger forever.
10He does not deal with us according to our sins,
   nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
   so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12as far as the east is from the west,
   so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
13As a father shows compassion to his children,
   so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.
14For he knows our frame;^[a]
   he remembers that we are dust. 

15As for man, his days are like grass;
   he flourishes like a flower of the field;
16for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
   and its place knows it no more.
17But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,
   and his righteousness to children's children,
18to those who keep his covenant
   and remember to do his commandments.
19The LORD has established his throne in the heavens,
   and his kingdom rules over all.

20Bless the LORD, O you his angels,
   you mighty ones who do his word,
   obeying the voice of his word!
21Bless the LORD, all his hosts,
   his ministers, who do his will!
22Bless the LORD, all his works,
   in all places of his dominion.
Bless the LORD, O my soul!

-- Psalm 103

The mercy of God poured out upon my soul, should cause me to praise Him with an all-consuming passion.  My lips should not be the only portion of me making a motion of honor and worship, but every part of my very being.  This is what it means to be a "living sacrifice" - as Romans 12 discusses - a life where every action, every thought, every breath is for the complete and perfect praise of God.  My lips, my voice, my voice, my feet and my hands should be included in this act, but mainly it should be my heart that is seeking the supreme glory of my God.  At the altar of worship, my God desires no offering besides that of my very self.  "...this people draw near me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men...'" (Isaiah 29:13).  I have been created to worship, and my very being exists for His glory and pleasure.  He has established His throne in the heavens and He has granted grace to those who justly deserve wrath.  He knows my frame and He remembers that I am dust.  However, "he does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities" (Psalm 103:10).  My just payment should be bearing the eternal wrath of God for my sins, but instead He gives me grace.  O my soul, do you know WHO paid for that grace?! The perfect, holy, innocent, righteous Son of God.  Not you, not your works, not your astonishing good looks, but CHRIST.  So therefore, lay yourself down at His feet, upon the altar of grace.  Your sacrifice will be a pleasant one when compared to His.  For, "... He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself" (Hebrews 9:26).  The sacrifice of Christ on the cross has taken on all of your shame and the eternal weight of your sin.  "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21).  What have you to lose if you lay youself down? Nothing but your sin and this vile world.  What do you have to gain, though? Christ and the glory of God! So lay yourself down upon the altar.  Offer yourself to the One who has made you for His own good pleasure.  Offer yourself as a living sacrifice and glorify the Lord, O my soul!