“Do not be conformed to the standards of this world, but rather be transformed by the renewing of your mind so that you will be able to know and test what God’s will is – His pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2

Happy Friday, everyone. I’m here in Illinois enjoying the beautiful fall colors, and I wanted to share with you something that the Lord impressed upon me as you go into this weekend. From Romans 12:2, we hear these words, “Do not be conformed to the standards of this world, but rather be transformed by the renewing of your mind so that you will be able to know and test what God’s will is – His pleasing and perfect will.”

I’ve really been thinking a lot about that in my own judgments, not only of other people but other organizations, other situations, stuff that’s going on in the news, just all the things that so easily are able to be judged by worldly standards. And yet we’re called as Christians to view things differently. And I wonder how you’re doing in that area?

Are you viewing things according to worldly standards? Or maybe it’s success and you’re measuring your success or lack of success according to worldly standards or any other of the topics that certainly fit within any of those categories that I just listed. You know, we’re called to be different. And of course, aren’t we glad that God judges us with the standard of grace?

He brings that judgment to us based on His work for us at the Cross, through His son, Jesus Christ. And now we live by a standard of grace and forgiveness with one another. It’s one of the reasons why Jesus encouraged us to always extend that word of forgiveness and grace to others. And I pray that you would practice that as you go into this weekend.

Prayer
Gracious Heavenly Father, we thank You so much that You came into this world and Your standards were not according to this world, a world that is upside down, that has so many things twisted. But Your standard of truth and justice is perfect and it is right. And yet when You applied that to that judgment, You applied that judgment and the penalty of us failing to achieve that, You place that all upon your son, Jesus.

And through Him, we now have grace, we have forgiveness, and we pray that You would help us to view others with that same kind of heart of love and grace that You have first shown to us, as you called us to in the Scripture, that You would really transform our hearts and minds to be able to really focus in on the goodness of who You are and what You’re doing in our lives and with the expectation that You are out to restore and to save those who are lost and who are hurting and who are in need.

And so make that true for us. But make that true through us. This weekend. It’s in Your name, we pray. Amen.