PRAY IT! Up Now Son, Romans 12:9-21 and 10:14-21

I don’t have a tattoo.  I’m not opposed to tattoos.  The pain element does not even scare me away from getting a tattoo nearly as much as the permanence.  I’m not sure that I have encountered something of such interest to me that I want it on my body for… potentially… ever.  Maybe I’m lacking a singular focus.  Maybe I’m lacking commitment.  Maybe it’s the cost.  Maybe I don’t want the pain.  Maybe I’m lacking in trust of some stranger who is going to doodle on my body.

In this week’s passage from Romans, Paul outlines the marks of true Christians.  If we learned anything from our previous Mountain5 sermon series, it is that as Christians, we are called to look and live differently, perhaps radically so, as we live out our transformed life thanks to Jesus. 

We find a good portion of these in Romans 12:9-21.  Love.  Holding fast to what is good.  Showing honor.  Serving the Lord.  Rejoicing.  Praying constantly.  Showing hospitality.  Blessing those who persecute us.  Living in harmony.  It goes on and on. 

These are some things that would look good on us, God’s children… permanently.  Not so easy to put into practice, especially if we try it apart from God.

Maybe I’ll never get a “real” tattoo.  And that’s fine.  But when it comes to permanence, commitment, pain, cost, trust, and all of those things, what is my relationship with Jesus?  What am I willing to let Jesus do to me?  Do I trust Jesus enough to leave his markings on me, permanently?  Is this a long-term (see:  eternal) relationship or just a "temporary tattoo" that will wash off with soapy water?  Do I trust Jesus' quality?  Do I trust that any short term pain I experience (because dying to oneself and one’s own plans and desires can hurt!) will be helped and healed by his love?  That it is worth the cost?  Do I trust that what he will choose to do in and through me will be beautiful?

As a follower of Christ... as a child of God... I have to be willing to look and live differently.  “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”  (Romans 10:15b). 

The good news is Jesus. 

According to Romans 12:12, one of our tattoos (or markings) as a Christian is to “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”  This echoes the passage we have been mulling over the past few weeks in the PRAY IT blog:  Ephesians 6:10-20.  Let’s look specifically at verses 18-19 today.  “praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.  To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints”.

With Jesus' help, we can persevere in prayer.  What a great way to "preach" the good news of Jesus - through our joy, through our patience, and through our prayer.  Let's pray-it-up, PoC! 

Dear Jesus,

Please help us trust you as you grow us and change us, not just for our benefit but for those we encounter on a daily basis who need to hear about you, our good news.  Please speak to us right now and silence any opposing voices.  Remind us that you are trustworthy, you are quality, you are our healer, and you are worth it.

Amen.

Continue to Seek God for the City - 2015!  Today we are praying for Christ to gather the nations in worship, for laborers, and for the following Middle Eastern countries:  Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.

Pastor Celia