"Holy... Acceptable."

I ask for the grace of focus and presence as I prepare to lead worship this day. 


Romans 12:1-7
12I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters,^* by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual^* worship. ²Do not be conformed to this world,^* but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.^*
3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgement, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. ⁴For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, ⁵so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. ⁶We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ⁷ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; ⁸the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.


1) "...the mercies of God;" "...living sacrifice, holy  and acceptable;" "...spiritual worship;" "...be transformed by the renewing of your minds;" "...good and acceptable and perfect;" "...no to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think;" "...sober judgement;" "...one body in Christ;" "...individually we are members one of another;" "...gifts that differ;" "...I appeal to you;" "...spiritual worship;" "...be transformed;" "...discern;" "...what is good and acceptable and perfect;"


2) Where is the line between genuine and false humility?  That which builds the body up is genuine, that which pulls the body apart is false.  Sounds like a lot of trial and error is needed.  For Paul, "spiritual worship" is worship that increases the wellbeing of the community of faith.  There is a gift in being able to discern what is the will of God - what is good and acceptable and perfect.  There are so many people who think they are better than others at discerning the will of God.  That's why the very next line is "not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think."  So to whom is it assigned to have sober judgement?  I'd like to think that with 5 years of seminary and training and 15 years of ministry experience, its me.  But there are a great many people who would like to challenge me on that.  How do I hold my responsibility responsibly?  How do I claim "the grace given to me" without thinking more highly of myself than I ought?  It would be so much more simple if God just struck down bad people with lightning on the spot.  But then, we'd all be crispy fritters.


3) What is the invitation in all this? To be transformed.  And to humbly accept that being transformed is an incomplete activity.  And we are all transforming at our own time and pace.  It's never done.  To be present to each moment of transformation, and to be open to and encouraging of the transformation of others.


"Holy One,  help us each discern and accept our part in the whole body of the living Christ."


Breathprayer: "Holy... Acceptable."