Palms and Patterns

Friday, September 22, 2017
(2nd in a series)

  Romans 12:2 (NIV)

John McCorkle & John Fleming

In the recovery fellowship to which I belong, one will often hear something like, “I will be in trouble if I stay in the world and visit the program. But, if I stay in the program and visit the world, then I’ll be fine.” I believe this idea, in part, is what Paul is writing about in his letter to the earliest Roman Christians. It begs us to ask ourselves, “Am I in the world or of the world?”  It is why I like the NIV translation of this scripture: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world…” Pattern invokes the idea of a template or format; a preset guide (see conventional wisdom) that we can view when confused or uncertain. Conforming to the pattern of this world is being of the world.

Delmas, Port-Au-Prince

On this first full day of apostolic mission work in this place called Haiti, I am literally full-fledged emotional that God has placed me here now. The team is so blessed; and guess what? We will be in this world certainly because we have no real basis to be of this world here. I suspect it is why missionaries love what they do, eager to return to their mission fields because it is as close as one can get to being completely in the world.

Another way I am blessed today is that I can look back at yesterday’s devotion and draw on Paul’s urging, “have the same mindset as Christ Jesus,” and marvel at the wonder of how the Word can weave for us a pattern of truth that is eternal and all encompassing. Our activity here in this little struggling part of God’s unbridled creation demands we adopt the same mindset as Christ as much as we are humanly able. Then, most likely, without even being aware of it, we will be transformed by the renewing of our minds. God is good!

Abba, may we more and more conform to the model you sent for us, your Precious Son, that we might be more in the world than of the world. Amen

Bradford Bosworth