You were taught to put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and deluded by its lusts, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”

Do you like new stuff? I really like when I get things - doesn’t really even matter what it is. There is just something that feels good about a new thing. I like taking off packaging. New stuff smells good. I like investigating the item and seeing how it works. It’s fun for me.  

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Paul insists that our lives in Christ are new. We need to embrace the new; don’t treat this life how we treated the old life. It is different, so we ought to be different. Part of how we do that is allowing the Spirit of God to transform our minds. For me, serving is a way I can “take the packaging off” and discover this new thing. Before I gave my life totally to God, I wasn’t so concerned with serving others. But things like helping direct traffic for the fireworks show or the Christmas light display or writing these devos are a great way for God to rewire my mind for his glory. I serve, partly, because it keeps me new in the attitude of my mind.

This renewal of the mind through service is a spiritual act of worship. Service creates something for others, sure, but it also creates something new in me. I think my mind is like a plot of land entrusted to me to labor over, clean up, and produce fruit on. In allowing God to transform my mind, he creates in me something useful to the Church. In letting my plot grow over, neglecting it, condemning it, I bring harm not only to myself but also to the Church and her testimony. By not gathering for our own soul, we scatter what belongs to God.  

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By faithfully being transformed by God and pouring into the church’s mission, I am adding to the testimony of his church. By making sure that I am investing in the renewal of my mind and allowing the Holy Spirit to use me, I am helping the church to be a safe place where hurting people can come to find hope, healing and acceptance - a place where God can grip hearts and begin to change sinful hearts into righteous lives.

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Gardening your soul is a critically important way to serve the church, but serving the church is a great way to garden your soul. What a paradox! We all need to serve the church in these two ways - by nurturing our own spiritual life and by utilizing the gifts that God has given us. This is why I serve on the Devo Team. I really hope you are challenged and encouraged to serve as well!

Lord, thank you for renewing my mind so that I can be like you in true righteousness and holiness. Help me to be a servant of you and not selfishly pursuing my desires like I did before I knew you. As I work for you, create something new in me. Help me serve like you served. Keep me engaged and loving those around me, for your glory. Amen.