Thoughts: Our bodies are not meant to be sacrificed to this world alone. Our bodies and our minds are to be transformed to God. This is how 12:1 (sacrificing our bodies to the Lord) and 12:2 (renewing our minds) go together. We are to give ourselves in spiritual worship- body, mind, and soul to the Lord. We are not to let our bodies fall back into a comfortable worldliness. Nor do we allow our minds to drift into a mold that the world has made. When we control our bodies and minds it is our spiritual or proper worship of God. The Greek word for "proper" is logokein- which means "God-wise" or "logical to God." We are not to care how the world tells us to use our bodies and minds. They would tell us to live for the moment and physical pleasure. But God would ask us to live for a higher- God-wise purpose.
Sometimes this means sacrificing sleep to help a family member or neighbor our of love for them and love for God. Sometimes it means going two miles when we are only asked to go one- sacrificing our bodily strength and time for another. Sometimes this may mean giving sacrificially for another- maybe a persecuted Christian in Syria. Sometimes it may mean a cross.
Renewing our minds may mean getting off the mindlessness of texting for no reason- or looking at social media until it becomes a blur. Or changing the web site or channel when something that pollutes our minds comes on. If Jesus were seeing what you were seeing- would He want you to change? Instead, ask what am I reading or doing that can cause me to build up the kingdom or my own mind for God?
Prayer: Lord, renew me body and soul for your glory. Strengthen me that I may sacrifice for you.
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