Romans 6:6-14

6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

Prayer for the Day

Creator Father, fill Your children with the Lord, the Spirit, that we might be instruments of righteousness, loving our neighbours, caring for the orphan and widow, speaking up for justice, and defending the poor, through Jesus Christ Your Son and our Saviour. Amen.

A piano was often the most costly item in a family's living room. It only became distinguishable from other furniture at the hands of a musician. When a pianist sat down at that instrument it ceased to be pieces of wood, strings, keys and metal pedals. It became a work of art; something to elevate the soul and, as the poet William Congreve wrote, a tool to "soothe a savage beast."

Each and everyone of us is an instrument created and sustained by God in the world. But who will pluck our strings or strike our keys? Since the events of the Garden of Eden, Satan has been the world's foremost and master musician. He plays the chords of our hearts with a vengeance, arousing anxiety, anger, jealousy and depression.

Jesus, God's Son, took flesh in our world to bring a new song to our fallen world. He carefully takes us out of the hands of the Devil into his own, and begins to play a whole new tune. His chords bring peace, love, joy, self-control and kindness. He plays, through us, the music the world needs in place of the music it too often hears. Jesus' song is about reconciliation between God and humanity; a forgiveness of sins that brings people together rather than tearing them apart.

This is what Paul is talking about when he urges us to present our members as instruments for righteousness. It is a prayer that Jesus, who died for us, might play his resurrection music through us every day.