Daily Dose of Hope

March 20, 2026

Scripture: Romans 12

Prayer: Heavenly Father, We come to you today praising your holy name. You are a good God! Thank you for caring for us, for walking alongside us, but most of all thank you for Jesus, who died our death, so that we can walk hand in hand with you. Help us live like resurrection people in the way of Jesus. We don't want to get stuck in our religion. We want to live transformed lives in Jesus. How we need you, Lord. We are stubborn people. Amen.

Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan. We are currently working our way through Paul's letters. We are now in the book of Romans. Don't forget to let me know what you are learning. Offer feedback – let me know about your big takeaways.

Today, we read through Romans 12. Just so you know, Romans 12 is some of my very favorite New Testament Scripture! It is incredibly powerful. Paul is saying that because of this amazing gift of salvation, those who receive it should be truly committed to God. Christ-followers should dedicate their whole life in service to Jesus Christ, become living sacrifices.

This would have had significant meaning to Paul's audience, as the sacrificial system was still alive and well. But unlike the Old Testament sacrifices, Christ-followers voluntarily offer their living bodies, every part of their existence, to the work of Jesus in the world. They make Jesus not simply their savior but also their Lord. Doing this is the kind of worship that God finds right and pleasing. We might call this surrendering everything to King Jesus.

This clearly separates us from the surrounding culture. Living for Jesus rather than ourselves or things of this world is unusual. People notice. Paul urges the Romans to not fit so well into their culture but experience life change as Jesus transforms their thinking. Faith isn't just about the heart and emotions but also about the mind. God wants to change our way of thinking so that we better reflect Jesus. Do we fit into our culture? Be honest with yourself. Do your neighbors, coworkers, and other acquaintances know that you belong to Jesus? Is your thinking more influenced by Scripture and the things of God or the national news, politics, and social media? How easy it is to simply blend right into the culture around us. Paul's words to the Romans certainly ring true for us today.

Paul addresses several other concepts here too. He talks about spiritual gifts. Similar to the Corinthians, there is evidence the Romans also were arguing about which gifts were better. Paul makes it clear that all the gifts are critical. Plus, all believers belong to each other. The church cannot function without everyone and their various gifts. No one should be conceited – just keep in mind that by itself, your gift just isn't that great.

Finally, there is Paul's closing to the chapter. I just love this. He is talking about how to demonstrate love to other people. If we all simply took this to heart, what a different place our community would be! Paul emphasizes the Proverbs here, stating, "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Let's be real, the church hasn't been so good at this. What would we as Jesus' church look like, what would we need to change, if we focused on not becoming overcome with evil but overcoming evil with good?

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki