Ben Fourie

 

So then, my brothers and sisters, because of God’s great mercy to us I appeal to you: Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service and pleasing to him. This is the true worship that you should offer. Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Romans 12:1-2a, GNT

 

If someone asked you to give away the most precious thing in your life, what would it be? Naturally, you might think of your life partner, your children or someone else you love dearly. So, let’s simplify things and focus on an ordinary item that holds significance in your life. I have many things that are precious to me, such as books, gifts from my wife and a watch that belonged to my late father. Parting with any of these items would be very difficult for me.

 

In today’s verse, Paul asks us to offer ourselves, to give ourselves away. This request seems challenging because it goes against our human nature. To give oneself away requires a significant transformation in our way of thinking, and this is exactly what Paul is emphasising when he says: “let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind.”

 

To achieve that, we need to adopt an entirely different way of thinking than what comes naturally to us. Typically, we prioritise ourselves, but God is calling us to a new perspective. He invites us, through the Holy Spirit, to change how we think about him, other people and the world around us. This new mindset encourages us to shift our focus from self-importance to offering ourselves “as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service and pleasing to him.”

 

How does one achieve this? In Romans 12:3, Paul gives us a guideline: “... do not think of yourself more highly than you should.” My father-in-law used to say that we should never think so highly of ourselves that there isn’t room left for others to have their own opinions about us.

 

Let’s keep this saying in mind as we begin to offer ourselves to God.

 

Prayer: Lord, I pray that you will help me remove my ego and help me to start thinking about you in an entirely new way. Please help me to see your plan and purpose for me in God’s kingdom. Amen.