Have you ever heard, the phrase “our entire life is worship,” or something to that effect? My guess is, if you have been a follower of Jesus for a while, you have at least heard something similar. It is taken from Romans 12:1
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship.
Of course I believe it, but it is entirely different to live. To have every aspect of your life and mind focused on Christ. To make decisions, not based on what “feels right,” but on what Christ said. I know every Christian over the age of 25 probably still has a WWJD bracelet tucked away in a drawer. Who stops to think, before every little decision, what would Jesus do? For that matter, how many of us stop to think before the big decisions? Many times we make decisions based on what our mind believes to be the best option, based on our or others personal experiences. So many times, I hear Romans 12:1 read or quoted, and the person will stop at verse 1 or simply glaze over verse 2, with little attention.
However, there is a phrase in verse 2, which is coming to mean more and more to me over the last couple weeks.
2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Over the past several weeks I have begun memorizing larger sections of scripture. Right now I am working on memorizing the beatitudes as I teach through them. We are going section by section through Matthew 5 through 7, so I am memorizing one section each week. As you memorize something, it is amazing how much it is on your mind. As I am driving down the road or cleaning the house, these passages will come to mind, I will begin to recite them. They are constantly on my mind.
These passages are so familiar to me, but as I have been quoting them more and more, I have begun to see more and more in them; things which somehow I have always missed. I am seeing how passages connect to other parts of scripture and bring new light to my understanding on God’s word. What is amazing to me is how my mind is being renewed. My mind is being changed and my life is beginning to see transformations. Small transformations, but my life is being changed.
Our minds are powerful and we make a choice as to what we will fill them with; Facts, movie quotes, song lyrics, conversations, sports statistics. And not that these are bad things remember. Is it transforming your life? Of course it is, in some way. But, does it draw you closer to Christ? I can’t answer that for you. What I do know, is that God’s Word has begun to consume my thinking and His word has the power to change who I am!
garyalbritton 