And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
Romans 12:1-8 NLT
Reflecting on what God has done can move us to obedient action. Paul has written eleven incredible chapters on the faithfulness of the Lord, and he now turns to the practical ways we can respond. First is true worship: we present our bodies as living sacrifices, given for the glory of God, even in suffering. We serve in the church, Christ’s Body, as members of His Body. The Body needs all its members—that includes you. We also allow the Spirit to renew our minds, which means we will know the good and true will of God. We think of ourselves with humility before our Savior, and we refuse to conform to the pattern of this world. This is transformation.
In view of all that God has done for you, how will you live for Him? Each one of us is called to worship Jesus, serve in church, change our thinking, and think of ourselves with humility. This can seem like too high of a demand—until you focus on all God has done for you. The Lord wants your total devotion, and He gave Himself sacrificially, completely for you. He is not asking for anything He has not given. His requirements will seem too demanding until you remember all He has done for you, how He has saved you, and how much He loves you. This is love, and true love wants to sacrifice for the sake of the beloved. When we sacrificially love the One who loves us, we experience freedom, and our lives are transformed.
Looking back on your own life, what has God done for you? How can these motivate you as you walk with Jesus? Of the things listed in the verses, which ones need work in your life?
