PrintGoing On or Giving Up (2)
In the light of my last log entry, I find myself searching for ways whereby I can find and maintain a healthy balance between focusing on the daily reminders that my physical body is in the process of deteriorating while, at the same time, my inner life is being renewed day by day. (as per 2 Cor.4/16-18).
There's something else that Paul said in this regard that has got me thinking as I have wrestled with this issue.
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. (Rom 12:1-2 NIV)
"Offer your bodies as living sacrifices…."I have read these verses time and again over the years. I have preached and taught that we are to present our bodies to God. But I am asking the question now; "How do we do that? How do we present/offer our bodies to God?"
Actually, there are two dynamics that come into play here. The first is the offering of our bodies and the second is the renewing of our minds. In my last log entry I referred to our bodies dying but our inner life being renewed. In this passage Paul calls us to offer to God our dying bodies and offer our minds to be renewed. I think that I won't really know how to offer my decaying body as a living sacrifice until my mind has been (is being) renewed.
I like the way the New Living Translation puts this:
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 know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is. (Rom 12:2 NLT)
In the light of all this I suspect that my "body obsession" mentioned in my last entry can be resolved only by the renewing of my mind. i.e. by letting God transform me into a new person by changing the way I think about these issues. First things first.
