Romans 12:1-2 Now Available feat. Jonathan Allen Wright

Jan 1

Romans 12:1-2 is now available on all streaming platforms!

THE VERSE

[1] 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. [2] 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.

A new year stands in front of us. A blank slate. A fresh canvas. Endless opportunities for things we can do and ways we can spend our time. Resolutions abound for who we want to be and become this new year: assorted goals tied to finances or accomplishments. Others have aspirations around physical or mental health. Each commitment invites us to sacrifice something of ourselves; to give of our energy, time, and money. However, as limited beings, we also know that to give ourselves to one inevitably means we can’t give ourselves to another. We can’t make all the resolutions work, as much as we would hope to. What will we spend ourselves on in 2024?

Amid the noisy chatter and voices competing for our heart’s attention, the apostle Paul lifts his voice. He comes to us with great wisdom, appealing to each of us if we listen. The basis of his appeal? Not the efforts of man but rather the mercies of God. He doesn't begin with demands but with a declaration of what's been done. The appeal of Romans chapter twelve flows from what preceded it in Romans chapters one through eleven. What do we find in these eleven earlier chapters? A rich recounting of the staggering mercies of God who is unabashedly after His people! Have you ever stood beneath a powerful waterfall and felt the water relentlessly crashing down on you? That’s how we begin this year: under the cascades of mercies flowing to and on us through Christ. Oh, that we would have eyes to see these mercies (plural) and in seeing, come under them and be cleansed and rejuvenated!

Because of Jesus and His great mercy in laying down His own life for us, we are invited to respond in worship. This worship isn’t merely a song or a chorus we sing, but an entire life laid down in response to this God! We don’t present Him with a piece or portion of our lives but with our whole bodies. There were no partial sacrifices in temple worship, just complete ones. As His living sacrifices, we learn two skills: First, we must not be conformed to this world (i.e. all things anti-God or representative of sinful humanity), for that would only lead us to death. Second, we must be transformed by the renewing of our minds, which leads to discerning God’s will which is the path of life. A rejection of one, and an acceptance of another. This is the way for the living sacrifice.

Take a moment this new year to journal and pray about these questions as you seek to listen to the voice of the Spirit of God today through the appeal of Paul.

Where have you conformed to this world? Confess those things to God, inviting the Holy Spirit to transform your mind in 2024.
What practices might you need to give up this year to not conform to this world but conform to Christ instead? Places where you know are sinful and lead you away from God’s purposes in your life?
And what practices might Jesus be inviting you to take up as part of your transformation to look more and more like Him?

What do we all do when we inevitably fail in some of our attempts? Don’t give up! Return to where we started: look to His mercies, and step under that waterfall again. Discover that this waterfall never dries up and that His mercies are new every morning. Christian, rejoice and give yourself to Him again the best you can because He gave Himself for you!

The Song + The Artist

This song was written, produced and recorded by Jonathan Allen Wright. Mixed and mastered by Spencer Annis. We asked Jonathan to share a bit about what this passage meant to him:

After reading, praying through, and finding a melody in this verse, it has become one of my favorites in all of scripture. It’s a beautiful reminder heading into a new year that in order to truly live, we must put away the old and be transformed by Christ. The idea of renewal is something that is gradual and takes time. There is comfort in knowing that when we put away our old selves each day? Jesus replaces it and helps us strive for the good, acceptable, and perfect. I pray that this helps people reflect on that goodness.