Be Renewed
2023 And 2 Goals
Well, here we are again. Another year has come and gone. I hope 2023 was a good year for everyone. It was for me as I actually managed to achieve both of my new year’s resolutions. I have always been on the bigger side with my weight ranging anywhere between 225-275 lbs. So since I was turning 50, I wanted to get in the best shape of my life. I managed to do that and saw the scale hit 189 in June. Since then I’ve been able to maintain my bodyweight around 200lbs. My other goal was to read through the Bible. I decided to go through it chronologically and finished in mid-December. Both goals required discipline, sacrifice and consistency in order for me to have success. These traits aren’t only necessary to keep New Year’s resolutions, but are vital to become the man God desires us to be.
A Living Sacrifice
One of my favorite Bible verses is Romans 12:1-2.
“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.”
As I reflect on verse 1 there are several things that stand out. First, we are called to offer ourselves as living sacrifices. What does that even me? In the old testament the Jewish people offered all sorts of sacrifices to pay the penalty for their sins and to restore their relationship with God. Today, we no longer need to offer all those sacrifices, because Jesus’ death on the cross paid the penalty for our sins once and for all. All we have to do is accept that free gift of grace and our relationship with God can be restored. So where does that leave us? The second part of the verse gives some clarity. It’s our spiritual act of worship. Worship is what we do to show our love and devotion to the Almighty. Its acknowledging who he is and our desire to offer him praise and adoration. We need to live our lives in a way that brings honor and glory to our heavenly Father. The word living makes me think of doing that on a DAILY basis. It’s not a one and done deal. Every day we need to strive to live authentic lives that reflect the goodness of God to those we interact with. It’s one way we can honor God and demonstrate our devotion to him.
“Autobots, Roll Out”
Verse 2 builds upon verse 1 and gives us the how. Our lives should look different than the world around us. When people see us, they should see something unique and attractive. The way we talk and interact with them should stand out in a good way. How do we live in such a way? We need to be transformers! One of my all-time favorite shows is the Transformer franchise. I’ve loved them since I was a kid. Just like Optimus Prime transforms when it’s time to ROLL OUT, we need to put off our old sinful nature and put on the new and improved one. We need to allow God to change the way we think and act so we can accurately reflect him to the world.
Back to the 3 words I mentioned in the beginning, discipline, sacrifice, and consistency. Each one is vital and interconnected if we are going to achieve the standard Paul lays out in those 2 verses. Bible reading, prayer, fasting and worship are examples of spiritual disciplines. They are activities that help us transform our hearts and minds to be in alignment with God’s will. Sacrifice is placing God as our #1 priority and allowing him to reveal his perfect will to us. Consistency is just showing up everyday and doing those things God calls us to do.
I’m sure 2024 is going to be even crazier than 2023…
We should expect the devil to ramp up his attacks on all things Christian. Our world will continue to embrace sin and turn their backs on God . Now more than ever people are lost and searching for answers and meaning to their lives. We have the answers and need to be in a position to share them when the opportunity arises. Let’s live our lives as authentically as possible so we can be that light in this dark world. I hope 2024 is your best year ever.
In Christ,
Jason Stansbury