第十二章
1所以弟兄們，我憑著神的仁慈勸你們，要把身體獻上，作聖潔而蒙神悅納的活祭；這是你們理所當然的事奉。2不要模仿這個世代，倒要藉著心意的更新而改變過來，使你們可以察驗出甚麼是神的旨意，就是察驗出甚麼是美好的、蒙他悅納的和完全的事。 3我憑著所賜給我的恩典，對你們各人說，不可自視太高，高於所當看的，反而應該照著神分給各人信心的大小，看得適中。
默想
- 獻上“活”祭的難處是祭物總想逃離開祭壇。要做到將自己全身全心地——包括思想、語言、行為——獻給神，對我來說有多困難？假設“1”是“十分容易”，“10”是“十分困難”，我的指數會是多少？
- 在這個星期裡，做一個“活祭”的練習：每當我想到一件我的東西時，就想像自己是躺在祭壇上的祭物，同時在心中將這樣東西獻給神——包括我的思想、言語、行為。思想一下，當我要這麼作時，我有什麽感受？是很興奮地獻上？或是很想跳下祭壇、逃之夭夭？為什麼？
禱告與筆錄：
繼續安靜在神面前，與神對話，並聆聽祂對我說的話。將心中的思想（心得），或是與神的禱告，記錄在“靈程筆記”簿上面。
Chapter 12
1Therefore, 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. 2Do 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.
3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.
Meditation
- The problem with a “living” sacrifice is that it always wants to get off the altar. On a scale of 1 to 10 (“easy” to “hard”), rank the difficulty I think I would have in giving my entire being – thoughts, words, and actions – to God.？
- As I go about my work this week, I will offer myself each morning as a living sacrifice and as an act of worship. Pray that God will help me not to conform to the pattern of this world but to be transformed. Then, throughout the day, in the words I say, the thoughts I have and my actions, I will seek God’s help to choose according to the pattern and character of Jesus rather than the pattern of this world.
- What would be my feelings then? Excited and willing? Or Wanting to jump off the altar and escape? Why?
Prayer & Journaling:
Stay with God for a little longer. Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me. Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the 2011 “Spiritual Journal” book.