Devotion: Romans 12:2

I appeal to you

therefore, brothers and sisters,

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 renewing of your minds,

so that you may discern

what is the will of God—

what is good and acceptable

and perfect.

Romans 12:2

 

Yesterday, we read Romans 12:2. If you want it to pop in new ways, listen to the classic J.B. Phillips paraphrase:

 

¹ With eyes wide open to the mercies of God, I beg you, my brothers, as an act of intelligent worship, to give him your bodies, as a living sacrifice, consecrated to him and acceptable by him.

 

² Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold, but let God re-mold your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity.

 

On Wednesdays we’re undertaking “an act of intelligent worship.” The purpose is to be “transformed by the renewing of [our] minds.” To that end, we’re doing a worldview study – The Truth Project. Worldview explains how and why we look at the world the way we do. And standing in between us and our view of the world are all kinds of lenses and filters. Filters obviously keep us from seeing things correctly. Our own desires, for example, keep us from seeing the world correctly. Our culture keeps us from seeing the world correctly too. (Why? Because of sin – our sin and the world’s sin.) And for this reason, “the world around [us keeps] squeez[ing us] into its own [pattern and] mold.”

 

So what is the lens that helps us see the world better? It is God’s Word! Scripture alone is unquestioned lens for seeing the world accurately. In a pray to his Father – John 17:17 – Jesus put it like this, “[Father,] your word is truth … sanctify [your children] in your truth.”

 

When we combine anything – our opinions, our desires, our world’s priorities and politics – with even God’s word, we dilute it immediately to the point of untruth. That’s why we need the church … and tradition. Across time and across cultures, God’s timeless word keeps pointing us back to truth. It alone keeps “renewing [our] minds.” And the fruit is what? “Be[ing] transformed.”

 

If you’re ready for a season of transformation, it’s time to start praying for hunger for God’s Word. We have Sunday School classes with that focus. And Bible Studies. And Life Groups. And Wednesday’s Truth Project. As well as Sunday sermons and daily devotions. Are you ready? Are you praying for that hunger?!

 

In Christ's Love,

a guy who needs

a new season himself:

God fill me.