My mind and heart keep coming back to foundation thoughts. By now, you know that I've been a Believer for over 40 years, but I won't pretend that I've been a particularly devoted Christ-follower for all of that time. For some of it, I've been a lackadaisical Christ-follower. Even worse, there have been times when Christ-following was completely on the back burner, as much out-of-sight, out-of-mind as I could make it. I'm not going to get into my details. You have your own details, and I hope this post will help you get through some of them.
Maybe it's that I'm getting old enough to sometimes remember things from long ago more clearly than I remember things from last week. Failures and foolishness from long ago have been coming up in my quiet moments. Whatever the reason, I see that I need more than forgiveness.
Jesus died so that you and I could experience forgiveness. He rose again so that we could be changed. It's good to be forgiven. Forgiveness is great, there's nothing like it, but it's also not enough. We must be changed.
Imagine that I wrecked my car, totally wrecked it, and was in a lot of trouble with the law. But when I stand in front of the Judge, he tells me that someone has paid my fines, the charges against me have been dropped, and they're returning my wrecked car back to me. I get my car back, but it's still a total wreck. I'm grateful that all charges against me have been dropped, but my wrecked car is still wrecked, so what good is it?
Now imagine that the Judge's forgiveness comes with one condition: He plans to fully repair my car, some all at once and some bit-by-bit. His plans for repair are so complete that, at the end, every part and piece of that car will be replaced so that it's better than new. All I have to do is let him get the job done in his way and at his time. But there are some parts of that old, wrecked car for which I have a particular fondness. I've had great times with that steering wheel and don't want it replaced. There are still some things in the trunk and stuff that's fallen between the seats, some of which I'd really like to keep. There's also the window-tint, so dark that no one could see inside. By all means, that's got to stay!
Forgiveness is not enough. I must have transformation. Jesus died for my forgiveness, He lives and rules for my transformation. Do I really want to go through eternity being the way I am now? Absolutely not! Do I want to be in His presence forever and be ashamed of what's inside of me? Absolutely not!
Forgiveness and transformation are joined in a single package. They cannot be separated. We cannot take one without the other. When we stand before the judgement seat of God, it won't be good enough to say "I accepted your forgiveness; it's just the transformation that I didn't accept." It simply won't be good enough. If we don't accept the transformation, we haven't REALLY accepted the forgiveness. We often fool ourselves, but we never fool God. Forgiveness must be accepted on His terms, or it hasn't really happened.
He knows what a wreck I was He got when He got me. He fully knew what He was getting into. He clearly saw all of the repairs that had to be made, even when I saw only a part of it. He knows His plans for you and me. He's serious about the repair, but He's excited about the end result.
I think about my "mountain-top" experiences with God. There have been high points in my spiritual life that opened my eyes, gave me hope, and made me hungry for more. God gladly gave me those mountain-top experiences, but He's not nearly as impressed with them as I am. He knows how easily I slip from the pinnacle. He knows that it usually takes awhile for me to even realize I've slipped. I don't think He gets too worked up about it, though, because He knew what He was getting into with me, He knows how good He is at what He does, and He knows I'm seriously trusting Him to finish what He started.
Don't get me wrong. My problems are on His agenda and not a single one will slip by. He doesn't wink at any of them, but neither is He daunted by them. He knows His plans and how determined He is to complete my transformation. He says, "Come on, there's work to do, places to go. Get up and follow me." It doesn't panic Him because He knows what to expect from me and He knows what to do about it. He knows that He's taking me on a journey that will change and fix me. What gets Him excited is how He sees the end of the journey.
I didn't come to Jesus because I could be such a good disciple. I came to Him because I needed Him so desperately. I still do. He didn't save me by grace and then leave me to figure out the rest by myself.
A little boy, three or four years old, is trying to put on his shoes. He gets finally gets them on and is quite pleased with himself. He can't wait to show-off what he's done. There's only one problem. He's put them on the wrong feet and doesn't know it. A start has been made, but he's not there yet.
I am desperate to be changed, faster and deeper than the current rate of progress. At least I think I'm desperate for it; only God sees the whole inner story. I've learned from experience that I'm pretty good at fooling myself and sometimes even good at fooling others. But whatever is in the heart sooner or later shows up in my actions, thoughts, or attitudes. I can change some of the superficial, outward things about my life, but only God can make the deepest and most necessary of changes.
Death couldn't hold Jesus and death couldn't keep Him from returning to His throne. The Bible tells us that everything (and every being, whether human, angelic, whatever) was created by Him, through Him, and for Him. (Colossians 1:16)
He died for my forgiveness, He lives for my transformation. Even more, He lives in me, working out His plans. Christ in me, the hope of glory! (Colossians 1:27) It's a deep mystery, but it's the key to eternity with Him.
Time to Pray
Maybe it's that I'm getting old enough to sometimes remember things from long ago more clearly than I remember things from last week. Failures and foolishness from long ago have been coming up in my quiet moments. Whatever the reason, I see that I need more than forgiveness.
Jesus died so that you and I could experience forgiveness. He rose again so that we could be changed. It's good to be forgiven. Forgiveness is great, there's nothing like it, but it's also not enough. We must be changed.
Imagine that I wrecked my car, totally wrecked it, and was in a lot of trouble with the law. But when I stand in front of the Judge, he tells me that someone has paid my fines, the charges against me have been dropped, and they're returning my wrecked car back to me. I get my car back, but it's still a total wreck. I'm grateful that all charges against me have been dropped, but my wrecked car is still wrecked, so what good is it?
Now imagine that the Judge's forgiveness comes with one condition: He plans to fully repair my car, some all at once and some bit-by-bit. His plans for repair are so complete that, at the end, every part and piece of that car will be replaced so that it's better than new. All I have to do is let him get the job done in his way and at his time. But there are some parts of that old, wrecked car for which I have a particular fondness. I've had great times with that steering wheel and don't want it replaced. There are still some things in the trunk and stuff that's fallen between the seats, some of which I'd really like to keep. There's also the window-tint, so dark that no one could see inside. By all means, that's got to stay!
Forgiveness is not enough. I must have transformation. Jesus died for my forgiveness, He lives and rules for my transformation. Do I really want to go through eternity being the way I am now? Absolutely not! Do I want to be in His presence forever and be ashamed of what's inside of me? Absolutely not!
Forgiveness and transformation are joined in a single package. They cannot be separated. We cannot take one without the other. When we stand before the judgement seat of God, it won't be good enough to say "I accepted your forgiveness; it's just the transformation that I didn't accept." It simply won't be good enough. If we don't accept the transformation, we haven't REALLY accepted the forgiveness. We often fool ourselves, but we never fool God. Forgiveness must be accepted on His terms, or it hasn't really happened.
He knows what a wreck I was He got when He got me. He fully knew what He was getting into. He clearly saw all of the repairs that had to be made, even when I saw only a part of it. He knows His plans for you and me. He's serious about the repair, but He's excited about the end result.
I think about my "mountain-top" experiences with God. There have been high points in my spiritual life that opened my eyes, gave me hope, and made me hungry for more. God gladly gave me those mountain-top experiences, but He's not nearly as impressed with them as I am. He knows how easily I slip from the pinnacle. He knows that it usually takes awhile for me to even realize I've slipped. I don't think He gets too worked up about it, though, because He knew what He was getting into with me, He knows how good He is at what He does, and He knows I'm seriously trusting Him to finish what He started.
Don't get me wrong. My problems are on His agenda and not a single one will slip by. He doesn't wink at any of them, but neither is He daunted by them. He knows His plans and how determined He is to complete my transformation. He says, "Come on, there's work to do, places to go. Get up and follow me." It doesn't panic Him because He knows what to expect from me and He knows what to do about it. He knows that He's taking me on a journey that will change and fix me. What gets Him excited is how He sees the end of the journey.
I didn't come to Jesus because I could be such a good disciple. I came to Him because I needed Him so desperately. I still do. He didn't save me by grace and then leave me to figure out the rest by myself.
A little boy, three or four years old, is trying to put on his shoes. He gets finally gets them on and is quite pleased with himself. He can't wait to show-off what he's done. There's only one problem. He's put them on the wrong feet and doesn't know it. A start has been made, but he's not there yet.
I am desperate to be changed, faster and deeper than the current rate of progress. At least I think I'm desperate for it; only God sees the whole inner story. I've learned from experience that I'm pretty good at fooling myself and sometimes even good at fooling others. But whatever is in the heart sooner or later shows up in my actions, thoughts, or attitudes. I can change some of the superficial, outward things about my life, but only God can make the deepest and most necessary of changes.
Death couldn't hold Jesus and death couldn't keep Him from returning to His throne. The Bible tells us that everything (and every being, whether human, angelic, whatever) was created by Him, through Him, and for Him. (Colossians 1:16)
He died for my forgiveness, He lives for my transformation. Even more, He lives in me, working out His plans. Christ in me, the hope of glory! (Colossians 1:27) It's a deep mystery, but it's the key to eternity with Him.
Time to Pray
"Lord Jesus, I know there's no better life than the one that's fully yielded to You, fulfilling Your dreams. That's the person I want to be because that's the destination for which I was created. I need You to work in me both to fully will and to fully accomplish what pleases You. Not everything inside of me is in agreement with that, but I confess that my inner dissent is sin. In spite of my inner conflicts, I'm choosing your destination with an act of my will and confessing that choice with my words. I'm asking you to forgive and cleanse me, washing me from everything that is contrary to You. Please, please, please don't leave me the way you find me now. Forgive me and change me. You knew what You were getting when You got me. You've begun a good work in me, please keep working. I'm depending on You to overcome every obstacle inside me. Let my life be a joy and a delight to You. Thank you! Amen."
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