God Speaking

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10)

One of my favourite casual reading, which doesn’t challenge my brain too much, is found in popular magazines in which the articles feature a dramatic transformation of some kind, whether it be in homes or with people. I love to look at the before and after photos and marvel how that dingy basement becomes a light and airy, charming living room, or that rather plain lady with the help of hairdressers/ makeup artists/ clothes stylists, emerges as an elegant model. Lots of us ladies desiring the same result, scour the ads for anti-wrinkle cream, moisturisers etc. hoping our skins will be renewed and transformed into youthful glowing looks. The media is always offering all sorts of ways, not only to transform looks, but to transform one’s very way of life. Not happy the way your life is going, hire a life coach. Not happy about your business, hire a business coach. Not happy about your body, try a plastic surgeon. The promises of transformation and renewal go on and on, but true renewal and transformation, offered by our Heavenly Father is quite unique and of a very different nature. Renewal under his hands starts from the inside.

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” (2 Corinthians 4:16)

David knew the importance of starting any renewing from the inside and his words in Psalm 51:10 can become our prayer and in fact after studying this Psalm many of us in our Home Group have done just that and we say those words on waking, even before we leave our bed to start our day.

“Create in me a pure heart, O’ God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”

We know that outward appearances are not important to our Heavenly Father, in fact he reminds us;

“…The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

The world is busy sending forth quite a different message, encouraging us to think that what we present to those around us is going to impress, constantly urging us to work hard on transforming what we look like so we command more respect, urging us to assume that special look (especially aimed at teenagers) so others will like us/ be our friends/ look up to us. Again scripture holds quite a different view. Paul reminds the Galatians not to be deceived by those who assume an air of importance;

“As for those who seemed to be important, whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not judge by external appearances, those men added nothing to my message.” (Galatians 2:6)

I love how Paul ended that verse, “those men added nothing to my message” this is the true message of inner renewing, not that we are impressing others/ not that we have a beautiful exterior/ not that we have an imposing demeanor, but how by being transformed we can spread the wonderful message of Jesus Christ to others.

All we have to do to be part of the renovations, is to offer ourselves to the capable Father to transform us into the creatures he wants us to be and I am sure we will be thrilled with the “after picture”!

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is…his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2)