God Speaking

“And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

(2 Corinthians 3:18)

I have a dear friend who lives in the outback of Australia who is a very talented artist and just recently I was a recipient of one of her original paintings which was delivered to me by her daughter who was visiting Canada. I loved it immediately as it captured an amazing occurrence not often seen and as I studied it I saw deep below the surface, another message. My friend later told me the inspiration for the painting came as she watched in awe as a huge flock of brightly coloured, budgerigars (grass parakeets) swooped down to an old gnarled, dead tree on their property, landed on the branches and within minutes that old tree was completely covered, not one bit of old bark showing, it had been transformed into a brilliant display of glowing greens, blues and yellows shimmering in the heat. My friend’s painting captured that remarkable transformation of something dead and barren being completely changed into an object of great beauty.

Being transformed is very much a part of our spiritual journey and as I looked at my friend’s painting I realised it was a wonderful illustration of what the Holy Spirit is willing to do for us when we are willing to hand our lives over to him.

Too often, unfortunately, we allow the outside world to govern how we display ourselves to others. We prefer to just blend in with the crowd rather than stand out for the Lord. Paul warns us about letting the world govern our thoughts;

“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)

Sometimes we have equally destructive thoughts about ourselves as being either unworthy to be transformed or too old, too useless or not worth bothering about. The story found in Ezekiel is a great wakeup call for those thoughts. The Lord leads Ezekiel to a valley of dry scattered bones and before his eyes they join together grow flesh and become a mighty army! (Ezekiel 37). Everybody is worthy to be transformed in God’s eyes. We just have to allow him to do the transforming. If we begin to think that it rests with us and how much effort, we are prepared to put into it, we will be sadly disappointed. The great news is that once we become part of his kingdom the process begins and we will be like that old tree in my friend’s painting, a glowing example of God’s glory.

“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” (Philippians 3:20 – 21)