Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
April 22, 2023
Romans 12:1-8
1 So, brothers and sisters, because of God’s mercies, I encourage you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice that is holy and pleasing to God. This is your appropriate priestly service. 2 Don’t be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you can figure out what God’s will is—what is good and pleasing and mature. 3 Because of the grace that God gave me, I can say to each one of you: don’t think of yourself more highly than you ought to think. Instead, be reasonable since God has measured out a portion of faith to each one of you. 4 We have many parts in one body, but the parts don’t all have the same function. 5 In the same way, though there are many of us, we are one body in Christ, and individually we belong to each other. 6 We have different gifts that are consistent with God’s grace that has been given to us. If your gift is prophecy, you should prophesy in proportion to your faith. 7 If your gift is service, devote yourself to serving. If your gift is teaching, devote yourself to teaching. 8 If your gift is encouragement, devote yourself to encouraging. The one giving should do it with no strings attached. The leader should lead with passion. The one showing mercy should be cheerful.
Good Morning, Many gifts, One Spirit!
God presents many opportunities to us along our journey to use our gifts. I’m feeling moved by verse 2 this morning. 2 Don’t be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you can figure out what God’s will is—what is good and pleasing and mature.
This is a multi-faceted task. First, we must choose to let go of our earthly ways and distractions. As my parents would say, “If everyone is jumping off a cliff, are you going to jump too?” It is easy to do what others are doing and to want what others want. So, we must first choose.
Next, we must allow ourselves to be transformed by the Holy Spirit working within us. How often do we know what the right thing is, but we make a different choice anyway? We have this need to assert our own will and do what we want to do. To paraphrase a good friend, “We come kicking and screaming. Only when we reach rock bottom are we ready to listen to God.”
Then when we are ready, it’s time to figure out what God’s will is for us. Whatever that might be, we know it is good, pleasing, and mature. Here comes some more kicking and screaming! “But I don’t want to do what’s good, I want to hang out with my friends!” “I don’t want to make the mature choice.” “Okay, I’ll do that next time.”
This is well-known fodder for those who are parents or have worked with teenagers. God extends mercy and grace to us, his unwieldy teenagers, as we work through this process of listening and choosing to follow God’s will for our lives.
We are all called and blessed with the gift needed to follow our calling. God is patiently waiting for us to answer. Where He leads me, I will follow.
I can hear my Savior calling, I can hear my Savior calling, I can hear my Savior calling, "Take thy cross and follow, follow Me."
Where He leads me I will follow, Where He leads me I will follow, Where He leads me I will follow, I'll go with Him, with Him all the way.
Blessed God, We thank you for Your blessings. Keep calling! We will answer! Thank You! In the name of Christ, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: I will cheerfully share my gifts from God.
Pick up the cross and follow! Pastor Liz
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