“My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 (NLT)
In His Hands I’m Changed
My grandsons love playing with Transformers. Watching their hands quickly change a robot into a vehicle, or vice versa, with ease amazes me. With a zip, twist, flip, and snap they complete the transformation. But then, they put it in my hands….
As hard as I try and as much as I attempt to follow their example, I just don’t seem to be able to ever complete the switch. Sometimes I get close but in the end, I have to give them back to the hands that can complete the task.
It’s occurred to me that like when I’m struggling to get a yellow car to become “Bumble Bee” or to turn “Optimus Prime” into his semi-truck state and can’t, that I face the same type of challenges with my transformation as a Christian. You see, somehow I have the idea that it’s in my hands to complete it…..
As hard as I try to follow Jesus’ example, I’m never able to successfully change. I don’t know about you, but I want to zip through the hard stuff, twist things around to go my way, flip through the Word and think that’s enough, and long to snap my fingers and “presto-chango” I’ll be the Christian I long to be. You and I know it’s never going to happen that way. To truly transform, we have to put ourselves back into the Hands that can and will complete the task.
“So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect
the glory of the Lord. And the Lord-who is the Spirit-
makes us more and more like him as we are changed
into his glorious image.”
2 Corinthians 3:18 (NLT)
I’m pretty sure by now that you know I like control, to do things perfectly, and to have it happen easily and quickly. You also know that’s about as far from real life and Christian life as can be! Like the Corinthians did, I need to be reminded that it’s the Lord who ‘makes us more and more like him.” He expertly teaches me to zip my mouth (and thoughts) when needed, to twist my point of view away from the world and toward Him. He shows me how His ways flip my ways right-side up and that time here on earth goes by in a snap, but time with Him is eternal.
“Put on your new nature, and be renewed
as you learn to know your Creator and
become like him.”
Colossians 3:10 (NLT)
I still have lots to learn. How about you? Here’s what I’m beginning to understand, transforming to become more like Jesus isn’t about doing, it’s about being. Being in relationship with Him. Being consistently in the Word. Being open to His leading in our lives. Being willing to put ourselves in His nail-scarred hands for a lifetime of “zips, twists, flips, and snaps,” until that day when we are finally “changed into his glorious image.”
“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you,
will continue his work until it is finally finished
on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”
Philippians 1:6 (NLT)
I love joining others over at http://www.fiveminutefriday.com writing to the prompt “Transform” this past week.
I also like to have things happen quickly and easily, but that’s rarely the way it plays out for me.. Feeling grateful that, as you wrote, “transforming to become more like Jesus isn’t about doing, it’s about being. Being in relationship with Him.”
Somehow at a young age I believed that my value came from doing so I’m grateful to be learning to be in a relationship with Jesus instead. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me Sandra!