We Dedicate Our Minds

Back in the days of Ezra, Temple dedication included animal sacrifices. Today, we dedicate the Temple of the Holy Spirit by dedicating our bodies and spirits to God.  It’s difficult to understand how to train our spirits for godliness, because we understand our flesh and blood bodies much better.

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. (Romans 12:1 NIV84)

Worship, then, is seen through our actions and heard through our words.  Everything we say and do is an act of worship to (or an act of rebellion against) God.  How, then, do we dedicate our bodies to God in worship?  It starts inside our minds.

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. (Romans 12:2 NIV84)

When we dedicate our minds to God, we are recognizing that our words and actions first formulate in our minds.  We think before we speak.  We think before we do.  So. we choose to be purposeful in our thoughts.  We can compare our thoughts to God’s thoughts, so that our words and actions match God’s design and desire for our lives.  We fight the battle for our minds.

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NIV84)

How about you?  Do you fight the thoughts in your mind and make them obedient to Christ?  Do you make your thoughts match God’s design and desire for your life?  Are you transformed by the renewing of your mind?  Do you dedicate your mind?