Therefore

12.2.2009

Romans 12:1-2 1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. New American Standard Bible

Therefore, what is that there for? The word therefore ties us back into what the writer just wrote and (hopefully) what we just read. What we just read was a colossally important perspective of indescribable magnitude on the sovereignty of God and the duty of man. And it centers on God’s mercy and what God is currently doing to His chosen people, the Jews, with His merciful and marvelous interaction with the Gentiles. And Paul sums it all up by saying God is dealing kindly and wonderfully with the Gentiles to stir up the Jews romantic jealousy with Him as a result.

Who knew!? My faith and daily interaction with God are being used to reach a people group!? Wow!

So now what do I do? Paul answers that in the above two verses. He says, “Look guys, if you want to be part of the process of the salvation of these people then bring your life – every stinking part – to God’s altar of service and interaction and offer it up everyday.”

And if I want to know what to do I must renew my mind so that I won’t be conformed to the ways of this world that say, “If the Jews don’t get it, screw them! I get it – too bad for them!” A renewed mind begins to understand the bigger picture and the magnitude of God’s love for everyone – the Jews first, and also everybody else.

So, renew my mind, I do and offer up my life for service to God, I do. Happily. Willingly. Consistently. There is no way to serve other than that. It is God’s will that I do so…

Father in Heaven,

May Your Kingdom come and Your will be done on earth in my life as it is in heaven – in Jesus’ Name I pray, amen.

BTW: I don’t think it is a stretch at all to call it romance or romantic love. It is for sure holy and good, but it is also tender and wonderful and romance seems to be at its heart…