Day 26 brings us to Romans 12-16. There is great joy in reading the the New Testament in large chunks like this. But there are struggles as well. There is so much to dwell on, it is sometimes hard to get all the way through the reading. That was the case for me today. I got caught up in the very first word in the very first verse of today’s reading.

Romans 12 begins with the word “therefore.” “Therefore” is not a word you start a sentence with unless you have said something just previously that is supporting what you are about to say. The “therefore” in Romans 12:1 points back to all that Paul has been saying about what God has done to give us salvation. He has said that salvation has been completed perfectly by Jesus’ death on the cross. Now he turns to how that free gift of salvation is lived out in our lives. This is what he will spend the remaining chapters of Romans on. Here is how he begins this section on our response to salvation:

Therefore, 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 act of worship. Do 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.

There is much to digest in those two verses–probably enough to fill a few books. But I think I will key in on the sentence “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Here are a few things I want to note about this:

  • We do this because of what God has done for us (don’t forget the “therefore” that started all this).
  • The world has “patterns” of living. These patterns of living are often the opposite of the patterns of living that Jesus’ followers are called to live.
  • The followers of Jesus (us) are called to avoid being conformed by the world–to go against the flow.
  • Being transformed is not a one time event. It is a life-long process.
  • This transformation happens as God changes our thinking.

What Biblical truths does God show us in these verses?
God has acted on our behalf to give us forgiveness and salvation. He has done this freely. Now as a response that free gift, we are called to offer our lives to Him to be transformed into what He wants them to be.


Since God tells us in the book of James to be doers of the Word and not merely hearers, how can I apply these Biblical truths to my life?
Today I will seek to be aware of what patterns I am choosing to let influence my life. I will look for areas where I am being conformed to the world rather than allowing myself to be transformed by God and seek to change.

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