Romans 12:1-2, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God - this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform 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.”
During the first of the year, most of us will begin fresh diets. We will start exercise regiments, new Bible studies, new organizational routines, and time management practices. We will commit ourselves to breaking bad habits and to being better people. But most of us soon forget these well-intentioned resolutions. We mean well, but life just gets busy. We return to our old habits, ones that are comfortable and don’t require as much effort or work.
The issue is that we get tired of the sacrifice. We get tired of the daily “give up,” the daily grind. It is the “give up” that makes us uncomfortable and wears us down. But transformation comes through the “give up,” through the sacrifice. That is the formula for change. We give ourselves to God. In some versions of Romans 12:1 the word “offering” is used, so let’s make a New Year’s offering to God. Let’s decide to allow God to change us from the inside out. It will take sacrifice. It will take diligent work. But we can start with baby steps – transformation by renewing our minds, our priorities, our goals. Let’s ask God to align them with His today.
Begin the year by reading a chapter of the Bible – and why not start with Romans 12? And as you think about what you’re reading, allow God to “renew” your mind. He will begin to transform your thought process as you step into a new year of possibilities!
God, You are my Creator and I thank You. I want to draw closer to You and know You more. Shape me with Your words, and help me to be more like You this year. Amen.