Holistic Worship...but With Humility // Romans 12:1-8

Living Sacrifices
1Therefore, 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[a] act of worship. 2Do 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.
3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. 4Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his[b]faith. 7If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.


Footnotes:
Romans 12:1 Or reasonable
Romans 12:6 Or in agreement with the

Stuff that stood out:

*** 1Therefore, 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[a] act of worship.: When I hear the word "worship", I confess that all-too-often I think of singing praise songs/hymns, or at most adding to those songs things like prayer, offerings, and hearing a sermon/message at a specific time once a week ("worship service"). Those things are (and absolutely should be) ways we worship the Lord. But when I encounter this verse, I start realizing that my worship of the Savior should go WAY beyond singing or hanging out in a church for an hour-ish once a week. In fact, when asked what are some verses that drive me, I must admit that this is one of the "biggies". I certainly don't live up to it, more times than I care to admit. However, I remember the first time I truly engaged this verse (aka, "not just hearing/reading it passively and moving on with my day"), it was life-shaking for me...I started realizing that things as mundane as how I stand in line at Taco Bell can be an act of worship...how I drive (and treat other drivers) can be an act of worship. EVERYTHING needs to be an act of worship...

*** 2Do 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.: I think this is key to beginning to achieve the goals in verse 1. Faith is not only at "heart-thing", it also needs to be a mind-thing. Sure, it starts in the heart, but then we must seek to allow it to spread all over, especially our attitudes and approaches toward life. I consider that often a mind-thing. As I look at my own life, it's the times when I choose to actively seek Christ through daily prayer and meditation, through active reading of the scriptures (which means more than just reading it...it means asking God to reveal Truth...and engaging it often during the course of the day...in fact, this blog is usually one way I "engage" and revisit the scriptures I've been reading...) where I start sensing and being more open to God's direction in my life. I hear so many folks wondering how they can "tell what God wants them to do". The answer? The "church answer": READ, PRAY, LIVE... Problem is that we have to choose those things...even when we aren't "feeling it"...

*** 3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought... (emphasis mine): I will confess, though...one sad "byproduct" (if you will) to when I am feeling "close to God" is an arrogance toward others who just don't seem to be getting it... Often it comes out as a frustration more than anything. Oh sure, a passion for others to surrender to and know Christ fully is a good thing, and needs to be worn on my sleeve, but great care and humility has to be sought in the process. I know I myself have had a bad "taste" in my mouth at times when I am around arrogant believers (or, what I perceive as a spiritual arrogance...), but I can be that guy too if not careful...

Questions for me today:

What parts of my life am I not treating as worship? Am I too "compartmentalized"?

What attitudes and "mind-renewal" areas do I need today?

How can I humbly be passionate about faith (and faith in others) without being arrogant or a jerk?