Transformed By

The Renewing Of Your Minds

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.

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individuals we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us; prophesy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.

Romans 12:1-8

Giving our lives to God is much like military bootcamp. We give up everything we thought was important and we allow someone else to tell us everything we need to do, and to know. We then find out what is really important. It is all about our minds and our bodies. Paul talks about that sacrifice. We are to be acceptable to God, present our bodies and minds in the best form they can be in and to give up our selfish ways. We are to surrender completely to God.

It is not easy to surrender ourselves, but how else are we to be living sacrifices to the goodness of God?

The life given fully to God is at the heart of true sacrifice.

Our Daily Bread - July 14, 2008