Devotion:
Read Romans 12.
This is one of my favorite chapters in all of the Bible. The whole letter is some of the deepest and influential of Paul’s writing. After eleven chapters about what we believe, he turns to being specific on how we are to put those beliefs into action in our everyday lives. This is what will be “harvested” in our lives when we follow the way of Jesus Christ and live this way each day.
Eugene Peterson, in his translation of the Scriptures known as The Message, offers this way of stating verse one: “Take your everyday, ordinary life - your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life - and place it before God as an offering.” And then this for verse two: “Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God.” I commend to you his translation of the whole chapter.
Paul goes on to encourage us not to think too highly of ourselves, but to see how we fit into the whole “body” that is the Church. Then verses 9-21 are full of phrases and statements that would fit nicely on a bumper sticker or poster for your wall, each describing a specific way to live and relate to people. And knowing what life in this world can do to a person, verse 21 is a great way to end this section: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
I invite you to read Romans 12 at least once a month.
Personal Worship Option
Pick out one or two verses in this chapter that you most need to work on. Pray to God for wisdom and courage to do so.
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