“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
These words of Paul are applicable at all times and yet what a struggle it is for us to be transformed instead of conformed. Do not be conformed to this world. And yet the pull of the world is strong. Instead, be transformed by the renewal of your mind.
I don’t know about you, but I need to have my mind renewed day after day after day. God’s Word is such a blessing to us. Not only the access we have to it but also the riches it contains. We cannot exhaust all of the treasure in God’s Word in a lifetime. The more we are reading, studying, and meditating on it; the more we are able to be transformed. And then we are blessed to be able to gather with God’s people on Sunday as the Lord allows us and that normal weekly means of grace help us in our transformation as well.
Present your bodies as a living sacrifice. That’s easier said than done. I don’t always feel like a living sacrifice to God. Do you? And yet, when I just pause and remember His love and His kindness to me, I am encouraged to press on in my faith. Let us daily strive to be those living sacrifices unto God.
You are not alone. Be a living sacrifice. Seek to be transformed. Those are not things we try to manufacture in our own strength and power, but we praise God for the gift of His Spirit. Hang in there this week. Remember your savior and the great and abundant mercies of God.
I want the weekly thought to encourage you most of all, but also to challenge you. Maybe you have allowed the world to conform you to its mold more than you should. Today is a great day to cast off any sin that is clinging to you and refocus on the transformation that God does in our lives. We are being molded more and more into the image of the Son of God.
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