The Mystery RevealedSample

Day 6: Halen Salser, Marketing + Communications Admin at UPPERROOM

Romans 11-12

“I appeal to you, therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:1-2

Have you ever seen a caterpillar turn into a butterfly? After spending most of its life crawling around, it undergoes metamorphosis in a cocoon, coming out after a few weeks as a beautiful, new creation. The word “metamorphosis” comes from the Greek word metamorphoo, which is the word Paul uses in our reading today to describe the process of the renewal of our mind that takes place when we are born again into the new covenant; when we offer up our bodies as a living sacrifice to God.

I believe Paul is pleading with us to learn what it means to follow Jesus: lay down our lives in the cocoon in full surrender, covered and clothed in His blood, transforming us into a beautiful, new creation. This is not something we can do to ourselves but something that our Great High Priest, Jesus, does by the power and counsel of the Holy Spirit. We are no longer conformed to this world but are now made completely new because of the work of Jesus! When we renew our minds to this truth, we begin to see the fruit Paul describes following these verses. A butterfly does not have to strive to be a butterfly, it just is. So it is with us who are born again; we are His new creations.

Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, for Your work on the cross as my Messiah and as my High Priest. I ask you, Jesus, to renew my mind today by your Holy Spirit. Today, as my worship, I present my body as a living sacrifice to You. Help me see the new creation You have made me. Holy Spirit, help me be transformed by the renewal of my mind. Thank you, Jesus, that You are the author and perfecter of my faith, have Your way in me today.