PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform 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. (Romans 12:1-2, NIV)
So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. (Romans 12:1-2, The Message)
THE BIG IDEA:
Talk about worshiping God with your whole self—that's what this scripture encourages us to do by offering our bodies as a living sacrifice to Him. It's not as hard as it sounds. Take your everyday, ordinary life—you're sleeping, eating, going-to-work and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Try to view your ordinary life through God’s eyes as best you can. When you do that, you can't help but embrace what God does for you. Keep your attention on Him as you go through your day and you will be changed from the inside out as God brings out the best in you!
REFLECTIONS:
Sometimes I find myself being dragged down by the world, by someone else’s comments or actions. The natural thing for me to do is to react in an unbecoming manner (you know, the UGLY side of us: snapping back, pouting, avoiding, building resentment, judging…). By investing just a few minutes of my day, I have learned that I can turn that around 100% of the time! Getting away with God and my Bible for just a few minutes (literally), I can get my focus back on track. "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind."
I have a special chair that sits in front of a large glass window overlooking our backyard where the deer come through and the birds are singing. Sometimes there are butterflies or a squirrel is out playing. Nature at its finest. It's hard not to recognize God when I'm in that place. I pick up my Bible and read. In just a few minutes I feel like I've been transformed. My attitude will go from whatever place it's in—you name it—anger, revenge, disappointment, hurt—to a sweet place with Him. I can't begin to number the times He's walked me to a much better place, by renewing my mind. Then… as I walk through my day, I can see Him all along the way. There are God moments or Divine appointments. I know He is with me. If I will allow Him (offer myself as a living sacrifice)… He can use me in ways I would never even dream. As I go through my ordinary walking-around day, God may use me to touch another person’s life—or He may use THEM to touch mine. Either way, my day was better because I chose to walk with Him.
Three quick examples:
- Not too long ago, I was at a property that I manage that needed a section of carpet replaced. I had been there earlier in the day, but had to make a special trip back to meet the installer. I took some papers I needed to work on and found a quiet corner of this large room to work. I thought I’d be out of his way, and would lock up when he was done. It wasn't long before I realized that God had other plans. The installer asked my opinion on something. I went over to look and gave him an answer. Almost immediately he began talking about a big hurt in his life—a recent separation and most likely, a divorce. This man stays far, far away from church. I was able to talk to him about that hole in his heart that no human can fill, only God can. If he had been able to repair the carpet while I was there earlier, his boss would have been with him and I know our “God conversation” would have never happened. It was a little inconvenient to make the return trip, but when I left there the second time, I knew God had orchestrated that meeting and conversation. It was well worth my little bit of inconvenience.
- I'm most amazed at how the Holy Spirit works. Last month I spoke one sentence to a gentleman at a place I volunteer. It was simply an observation that I thought might help him. The next day, he came up to me and thanked me for “praying over him.” I grinned, because I knew the Holy Spirit was at work in this man's life. I reminded him that I had NOT prayed with him—that I had made one comment to him. (Yes, I had prayed privately before I talked to him.). He grinned and said—"Oh yeah… but it felt like you just prayed over me." The Holy Spirit was working through both of us at the same time, but I didn’t know that until the next day when this man told me.
- And then there’s Abby. Several months ago, a couple in our church put out that they were looking for someone to watch their little almost-one-year-old. Something prompted me to ask for more information. It felt strange even as I was asking. I love babies (that go home with someone else at night), I loved my own children and granddaughters as babies… but to think about volunteering in the nursery or keeping someone else’s baby just was never on my horizon. I had never even held this child prior to this request. Long story shortened, I was hired to play with Abby one day a week. I am AMAZED at how God has used this sweet little girl… and me… for His Glory. I can’t explain it, but I know just being willing to respond to where He needed me in this situation, has blessed my sox off!
I love that God allows me to be a part of His work in other people's lives. Sometimes I recognize it, other times I don't. And that's okay!! He has used other people to pour life into ME. If we could all stay open to his leading (and I’m still working on that!) what a better world this would be, right?
TODAY'S CHALLENGE:
Consider starting your day in scripture—just a few minutes—maybe one chapter, half a chapter, a verse or two. (I know this is TMI, but it might be helpful for someone. I started out by putting my Bible next to the toilet—you know, first thing in the morning. I don’t think God minded at all. That helped me begin to develop the habit of starting my day in scripture. I’ve long since graduated to my special chair near the window.) Ask Him to speak to you as you read and to guide you through your day. Offer yourself as a living sacrifice and remember the importance of renewing your mind. Scripture has been the BEST place for me to do that.
There is one other verse that I want to call your attention to and challenge you with. It’s verse 9. Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it. That needs no explanation. If we can walk through our days with nothing but this… everyone around you will feel God’s love through you/us.
Look for those God moments. Don't live your life in such a frenzy that you miss the blessings—for yourself AND others.
PRAYER:
Lord, I want to present my body, my time, my life to You. Please use me anyway You can. Help me to be open and free for Your leadership throughout my very ordinary day. Thank You for those little tidbits You show me from time to time, that just bless my heart. My heart’s desire is to bring Glory and Honor to YOU in all I do. Thank You, Lord. Amen.
WHO AM I?
I'm Georgia Arms! I wear many hats these days. Regardless of which one I have on at any given time, I'm looking for where God is at work and where I can join Him. I want to be a blessing to my Heavenly Father and to those He puts in my path. This picture is of the sweet little one God guided me to. I'm not sure what the reason is, but I'm here for it—and she blesses my socks off every Tuesday! (This is the amazing Abby Sansom…Tres and Kate’s daughter, Benjamin’s little sister.)
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