Tuesday, October
10, 2017
“The Lord spoke these words to all of you assembled
there at the foot of the mountain. He
spoke with a loud voice from the heart of the fire, surrounded by clouds and
deep darkness.
Deuteronomy 5:22(NLT)
Your decrees have
been the theme of my songs wherever I have lived. I reflect at night on who you are, O Lord;
therefore, I obey your instructions. This
is how I spend my life: obeying your
commandments.
Psalm 119:54-56(NLT)
This means that
anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a
new life has begun!
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)
The words
from the heart of the fire
are a picture of what happened at the mountain in the wilderness when God spoke
his presence to the people of Israel.
They had been nothing in the eyes of the world – slaves, mere chattel
property to the Egyptian pharaoh; now God was giving their lives purpose and
strength. God was making a covenant with
the former people of bondage. And he
gave them ten words by
which they could measure their walk. We
call them the Ten Commandments, and they were from the center of God’s heart,
spoken from the heart of the fire. In
these three lectionary readings from Scripture I see what God spoke to everyone
who would become a follower of Christ – the process of transformation:
Don’t copy
the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new
person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will
for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Romans 12:2(NLT)
Transformation
beginning – Deuteronomy
When God
spoke it was to introduce people who didn’t have a clue to that which makes hearts
understand the difference between right and wrong. God’s law (commandments) was a tutor, teaching
the people about the nature of this God they would serve. They needed to know on which side their Lord
stood when it came to the temptations of life they would experience (murder,
stealing, envy, lust, greed, etc.).
Transformation
progress – Psalm Songs
The
Psalmist, King David, expressed in Psalm 119 how his life’s theme had been to
obey the commandments. This is what I
have understood in my own life and ministry, that the surrendered life is one’s bowing in obedience to the
Word of God. Foremost in that experience
is the prominent surrender to Christ as we accept His free offer of
salvation. But it is also a daily surrender to which we’re
surrendering. Each day is a day of choosing
to obey the will and call of God to trust and obey in every intention, thought
and act of life. I bend my will to match
His!
Transformation
blessing – New Life
In all the
surrendering and obedience there is an ongoing incremental change of character happening
in the human soul. As you walk with
Christ you become more like Him. This is
transformation, being formed day by day, step by step, into His image. Your character is being changed; the sin with
which you struggled (and mostly lost) is being conquered. Temptation still comes after you, but now the
very thing you once could not resist has become repulsive, and you turn your back
on it. Instead you walk joyfully-freed,
and ready to help others.
For You Today
If it’s
been awhile, take some time to look back at the pathway of transformation in your
life. See where Christ has taken the old
person. Rejoice today that when He saved
you He didn’t just take away the penalty of sin – He also started the process
of sanctifying you, and taking away even the desire to sin. He’s giving you a heart of fire like His
own!
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