I appeal to you therefore brothers, 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 renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
~ Romans 12: 1-2 ~
I have always seen this verse as powerful & having many layers (isn’t ALL scripture powerful with many layers?), which seems to dig & speak a little deeper, for me, than other passages.
I believe Paul is offering a glimpse of How to Live 101, based on, quite simply, His mercies. I can look back on my own life (as I am sure you can as well) & see His mercies. Some include: my husband, kids & grandkids, my health (though I have had one or two un-health experiences, which, through His provision of a body that desires to heal itself & timely medical care, I overcame), my home, no parking tickets when I forgot to pay the meter, & the list can go one. Have you taken a look at His mercies in your life lately?
I guess I see His mercies quite similarly to the way I see His provision. And that out of His supreme love, I recognize His continued & unmistakeable presence, mercies & provision in my life. Plus, I am given the opportunity to make some good decisions. As I surrender my life back to Him in thankfulness, in serving, obeying, & living in His name (remembering that He once surrendered His life), I have crafted daily reminders, built from this passage, as I find my way in this world.
What are these good decisions? What are these reminders? The passage provides them:
- present my body as a living sacrifice - spiritual act of worship (what am I standing on as truth?)
- be holy & acceptable to & in Him (what do I know of Him & how do I know?)
- to be not conformed to this world (what do I believe & carry with me throughout my life that others see?)
- be transformed by the renewing of my mind (what will I read & allow ‘in’?)
- test & discern what is His will (what is He telling me, & how am I listening?)
- set my mind on that which is good & acceptable & perfect (what are these things that He wants me to truly know?)
Big list – I know. And then comes the question: how do I do these things?
To start, choose daily to live honouring Him, trusting His plans, seeking the resources He has provided: His word & Holy Spirit. Foster a desire to belong to Him. To me, this passage is key. Have you noticed that Paul relates everything he has written exclusively to Him?
As you live out & move in these good decisions, you live your life in service to the One Who has done so much for you.
I share a song that, through it’s touching yet simple lyrics, has helped me. The chorus reads:
My story, Your glory
My pain, Your purpose
My mess, Your message
In all things, I know You're workin'
One life, one mission
One reason why I'm livin'
All for You, not for me
My story, Your glory
My Story Your Glory ~ Matthew West ~
Always in Him,
Pam Halvorson
