Meditation on Romans 12:1-8
***
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 individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ
according to the grace given to us: prophecy, 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.
***
So here I am!
Back from my visit to my family in Maryland. This was the first time in 3 years
that I have traveled back East. I visited
my parents and sister, my aunt, uncle and niece, and a few other relatives. It
is good to be back home with my husband, children, and church again. But of
course it was hard to say goodbye—especially to my parents—knowing that I only
get to see them about once a year. Travel is becoming more and more difficult
for my dad, who has some health problems.
During my visit,
we did various activities. We saw the new Helen Mirren movie; went to the pool;
went out to dinner with my uncle, visited my aunt in a nursing home, recovering from knee
surgery; celebrated dad’s 80th birthday; and met my sister’s new
kitten, Duchess. But of all the things we did, I enjoyed my daily walks with Dad
the most.
We walked through
his suburban neighborhood and around a lake where beautiful plants, trees and
flowers grow; and people walk with their dogs, push baby strollers, and ride
pedal boats shaped like swans. We looked in shop and restaurant windows, and watched
children on a carousel go ‘round. We didn’t talk about serious things. It was
just a time to be together.
In case you are wondering, my family didn’t
try to talk me into moving back East, though I am sure it would make them happy
if I did. They know me, and they know why I am here. They know this is more
than just a job! Ministry is my calling from God. Well, most of my family understands.
One of my cousins greeted me with, “You
haven’t changed a bit.”
It sounded like an
accusation. There was tension between us when I prepared to move to Minnesota.
I tried to explain my calling to be a minister, to go where the Lord led me to
do the work He had for me, using the gifts and talents he had given me.
But for people who don’t know and love the
Lord, life is about pursuing happiness by following one’s own desires, seeking
to get all that one wants, following the patterns, attitudes and ways of our
society.
My cousin, who is
not a believer, didn’t understand. She was angry. She didn’t want to hear me
talk about my faith.
***
In today’s reading
in Romans, we run into one of the apostle Paul’s favorite teachings—a call for unity
amongst believers. Romans is different than Paul’s other letters—not just
because it is the longest—but because he is addressing a congregation he has
never met. He has never been to Rome but has often dreamed of going there. He
says in Acts 19:21, as he plans another journey to Macedonia, “After I have
gone there, I must go to Rome.” When
the situation is looking bleak in Jerusalem, God reassures him in a vision in
Acts 23:11 that just as Paul had testified to the Lord in Jerusalem, he would
also bear witness in Rome.
Paul isn’t writing
in response to a specific problem in the congregation. He says in Romans 1:11,
“For I am longing to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift
to strengthen you.” But what he really wants, he says in Romans 15:23-24, is to
make Rome a home base for a new mission to Spain. As far as we know, he never
made it there.
Some see Romans,
written around 58 A.D. in Corinth, as a kind of last will and testament. Paul
shares what he believes in great detail, elaborating on many teachings in his
other letters. In Romans 12, he uses his familiar image of the Church as “the body
of Christ.” He tells how we are all members of this one body, whom God gives
various spiritual gifts so He may use us for His Will and glory. Not all
members have the same gifts or function, but all are equally important and
necessary. These gifts cannot be earned; they are given by grace and received by faith.
The godly
response to God’s gifts is obedience—seeking
to use His gifts as the Spirit leads—and humility!
No gift or member of the Body is more special than another! Paul says in Romans 12:3, “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.” Even your faith that leads you to use the
gifts God has given you IS a gracious gift!
The most
intriguing part of today’s reading is at the beginning, when Paul appeals to
his readers “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.” Paul, who in other letters preaches on the superiority
of the spiritual over what is flesh or bodily, is now telling us that the body
is holy! We are called to offer not
just our hearts and minds to the Lord but our bodies as a “living sacrifice.” Paul
says this is our spiritual worship,
and the Greek word we now translate “worship” originally meant “work for hire
or pay.” What Paul means is that the work and routine of our daily lives—and
not just when we gather in church on Sunday morning—is seen by the Lord as
“worship” if we are truly living for Him!
***
As I said goodbye
to my unbelieving cousin the night before I left Maryland, she smiled somewhat
patronizingly and said, “Well, you look happy—for now.”
Before I received the call to Ebenezer and
moved to Minnesota, she and I may have talked easily for hours. But this last
visit, she avoided me most of the evening—not wanting to hear about my faith,
again, or my life with my church.
During the flight
home, I realized she was right; I haven’t changed—not in the eyes of a nonbeliever
who will always see me as “one of those dreadful Christians.”
My faith,
however, assures me that I am being transformed! Every day the Spirit is
renewing my mind, showing me my gifts and talents—and new ways I may use them
for Him.
Friends, hear the
Word of God for you today.
Be transformed! Don’t
be led astray by the attitudes of unbelievers or the patterns of our society. Don’t
let others discourage you from following the Lord! Remember that your body and
not just your soul is holy and belongs to God. And that the Lord cares about
what you do—so do everything as if you are doing it for Him!
Ask God to reveal
your spiritual gifts. Ask in faith! For God in His grace gives gifts to every
believer to use for His glory. No gift or member of the Body is more special
than another. We are all needed to accomplish God’s work.
May all of your
life be an act of worship.
May you discern God’s
Will—what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, thank you for the love and encouragement you
give us through family and friends—and for your Spirit, which gives us
everything we need to be the Body of Christ—your Church, united in Him. Thank
you for the many spiritual gifts that you have blessed us with, including gifts
of love and faith. Thank you that we are, by your grace and mercy, followers of
your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. We ask that you renew our minds and transform
us into the image of your Son. Help us to seek you more and seek to discern
your will for our lives—so that we may use your gifts always for your glory.
Strengthen us to resist temptation to be conformed to the sinful patterns of
this world. Lead us to be lights in all the dark places and to live every day
as if we are worshiping you—body, heart, mind, and soul. Lead us to a closer
walk with you. In Christ we pray. Amen.
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