In charge of change
We don’t naturally like to change. Change infers an accusation of inadequacy or an inferior, substandard character. Under Satan’s spell, we don’t like that label of being less than acceptable to anybody, especially God. Sin blinds us from discerning that, even though our characters are not acceptable with God, we are, and a restored faith relationship with Him is His plan. We lump lack of acceptance into one pot, through the coaching of Satan’s helpers, and shake our fist at God for His rejection of us. His judgment on our wickedness is an assault on our pride. We have worked hard on our morality; it hasn’t been easy to be good. Any accusation toward a rebellious heart “worketh wrath.” (Rom. 4:15). So, in the end, we deny change its essential place in our development and happiness.
We keep forgetting that we aren’t in charge of change. The God of peace is in charge of it. When we take it upon ourselves to change or brave accusations that demand change, we place ourselves in the place of CEO of change, Top Dog, All that there is, in charge of change. In short, we put ourselves in place of our Creator.
But we are only creatures. We aren’t supposed to be in charge of change. We can’t change ourselves, even if we tried. We can make cursory adjustments, but to love what we used to hate is way out of our grasp. What we can do is respond to the work of our loving Creator to change us. He alone can pluck out the roots of our weaknesses and faults while He plucks at our heart strings. Loving companionship alone can convince us that we need to change. Love alone distracts us from the realization that we are substandard and inadequate long enough to slip in our remedy. He patiently teaches us that we may be inferior in character, but still of infinitely superior worth to Him.
The God of love alone can do in us the work to uplift us and He alone can sanctify us. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Eph 2:10). “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” (Phil. 2:13). “I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.” (Is. 13:12). ). “The very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1Thess. 5:23). Once we have established that we aren’t in charge of change and that love is the only, only motivation in God’s command for us to change, then change will finally happen in us.
When we see that He commands change, we immediately begin to feel uncomfortable. But He commands our sanctification because He knows that once we realize He loves us, a command is His powerful gift of faith that His love will do its perfect work in us. And if we are desperate enough to be changed because of the mess we’ve made, then we’ll be OK with His commands and they will be the greatest force to rid ourselves of our despicable character traits.
How easy it is to be influenced by our family! Even if it’s a food we don’t normally like to eat; because our loved ones want us to eat together with them, we easily cave in to their request. How joyful it is to talk together and do things together with our friends! And we can have this with our God! We can walk together, our thoughts mingling with His, constantly recognizing that He loves us. We can be a sanctuary for His Spirit. As He admonished, “Let them make Me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.” (Ex. 25:8).
I have a friend so precious, so very dear to me.
He loves me with such tender love, He love so faithfully.
I could not live apart from Him, I love to feel Him nigh.
And so we dwell together, my Lord and I.
Sometimes I’m faith and weary, He know that I am weak.
And as He bids me lean on Him, His help I gladly seek.
He leads me in the paths of light, beneath the sunny sky.
And so we walk together, my Lord and I.
I tell Him all my sorrows, I tell Him all my joys.
I tell Him all that pleases me, I tell Him what annoys.
He tells me what I ought to do, He tells me how to try.
And so we talk together, my Lord and I.
He knows that I am longing, some weary soul to win.
And so He bids me go and speak the loving word for Him.
He bids me tell His wondrous love and why He came to die.
And so we work together, my Lord and I.
We keep forgetting that we aren’t in charge of change. The God of peace is in charge of it. When we take it upon ourselves to change or brave accusations that demand change, we place ourselves in the place of CEO of change, Top Dog, All that there is, in charge of change. In short, we put ourselves in place of our Creator.
But we are only creatures. We aren’t supposed to be in charge of change. We can’t change ourselves, even if we tried. We can make cursory adjustments, but to love what we used to hate is way out of our grasp. What we can do is respond to the work of our loving Creator to change us. He alone can pluck out the roots of our weaknesses and faults while He plucks at our heart strings. Loving companionship alone can convince us that we need to change. Love alone distracts us from the realization that we are substandard and inadequate long enough to slip in our remedy. He patiently teaches us that we may be inferior in character, but still of infinitely superior worth to Him.
The God of love alone can do in us the work to uplift us and He alone can sanctify us. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Eph 2:10). “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” (Phil. 2:13). “I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.” (Is. 13:12). ). “The very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1Thess. 5:23). Once we have established that we aren’t in charge of change and that love is the only, only motivation in God’s command for us to change, then change will finally happen in us.
When we see that He commands change, we immediately begin to feel uncomfortable. But He commands our sanctification because He knows that once we realize He loves us, a command is His powerful gift of faith that His love will do its perfect work in us. And if we are desperate enough to be changed because of the mess we’ve made, then we’ll be OK with His commands and they will be the greatest force to rid ourselves of our despicable character traits.
How easy it is to be influenced by our family! Even if it’s a food we don’t normally like to eat; because our loved ones want us to eat together with them, we easily cave in to their request. How joyful it is to talk together and do things together with our friends! And we can have this with our God! We can walk together, our thoughts mingling with His, constantly recognizing that He loves us. We can be a sanctuary for His Spirit. As He admonished, “Let them make Me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.” (Ex. 25:8).
I have a friend so precious, so very dear to me.
He loves me with such tender love, He love so faithfully.
I could not live apart from Him, I love to feel Him nigh.
And so we dwell together, my Lord and I.
Sometimes I’m faith and weary, He know that I am weak.
And as He bids me lean on Him, His help I gladly seek.
He leads me in the paths of light, beneath the sunny sky.
And so we walk together, my Lord and I.
I tell Him all my sorrows, I tell Him all my joys.
I tell Him all that pleases me, I tell Him what annoys.
He tells me what I ought to do, He tells me how to try.
And so we talk together, my Lord and I.
He knows that I am longing, some weary soul to win.
And so He bids me go and speak the loving word for Him.
He bids me tell His wondrous love and why He came to die.
And so we work together, my Lord and I.
posted by David | 4:26 PM
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