Dwelling...

For the weeks of January and February, our worship will dwell on Romans 12, what I think of as a practical "How To" of Jesus' call to Love God and Love our neighbor.  Below is the entire chapter, a fresh translation by a team from the Westar Institute.

I encourage you to save this email, return to this text, sit with pieces of it, notice what phrases catch your attention.  Allow it to seep into you, as water into dry soil.

And don't miss the poem at the bottom of this page (Pricklesome) - another invitation to live a life of Love.

Romans 12

So, I appeal to you, friends, as recipients of  the wondrous mercy of God, to dedicate every fiber of your being to a life that is consecrated and pleasing to God, which is what enlightened worship ought to be. 

Don’t accept the life of this age as your model, but let yourselves be remodeled by the recovery of your true mind, so that you can discern what is consistent with God’s purposes - what is good, worthwhile, and completely genuine.

So as one whom God has favored with the gift of my calling, I say to every single one of you: don’t entertain any false sense of superiority, but be realistic in your self-estimation, according as God has assigned to each of you a particular ability to express what living with complete confidence in God means. 

Just as each of us has one body with many parts that do not all have the same function, so although there are many of us, we are Christ’s body, interrelated with one another.  We have different capabilities according to the gifts with which God has endowed us.  If your gift is prophecy, then prophesy in a way that reflects your confidence in and reliance upon God.  If your gift is providing service, then serve.  If you can teach, then teach.  If you are good at exhortation, you should offer encouragement.  The one who is able to contribute money should do so generously.  The one who gives aid should do so willingly.  The one who does deeds of compassion should do so cheerfully.

Make sure that your love is without pretense; abhor what is evil; stick closely to what is good.  Be devoted to one another as members of the same family.  Take the initiative in honoring one another.  Don’t let your enthusiasm fade; radiate the presence of God’s power; serve our lord.  Be joyful in your hope; be patient in adversity; be persistent in prayer.  Treat the needs of Christ’s people as your own; take hospitality seriously.

Ask for God’s blessing on those who harass you; ask for God’s blessing, not God’s curse on them.  Celebrate with those who have something to be happy about; commiserate with those who are in sorrow.  Treat one another as equals. Don’t entertain notions of your superiority; on the contrary, associate with ordinary people.  Don’t become wise in your own eyes. Don’t repay anyone who has injured you by injuring them; instead, focus on what is honorable in the eyes of all people.  If possible - insofar as it depends on you - be at peace with all people.  Don’t try to retaliate on your own, dear friends, but leave that to God’s just indignation, because scripture says, “Justice is my business; I will put things right,” says the Lord.  But (so far as you are concerned) as scripture says, “If your enemy is hungry, give him something to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; because if you do this, you will pile red hot coals [of shame?] on his head.”  So don’t let yourselves be defeated by what is evil, but defeat what is evil with what is good.