May 2010 - Change

People can change. It is common for someone to tell me, "people are basically the same and change very little." This statement is first pessimistic and secondly unscriptural. the fact is the people DO change. They change all the time. We could not go through a day without changing. Just a few years ago I was using an electric typewriter (poorly) and now I am using a computer. In reality, the world has left me behind in the techno age, but I have greatly changed. Routinely I am enlightened at church by responsible exegesis and make changes. At times the Lord either allows a rug to be pulled out from under me or I bump into a "tree limb" of life and I change.

In Mark 3: 21 Jesus tells the parable of the wineskins and presents a principle that is powerful. The Jews had been the same for several hundred years when Jesus came on the scene. Since Daniel's day the Jewish traditions had been predictable. In a discussion about fasting Jesus implies that spiritual integrity had to do with new wine. New life, fervor, spiritual motivation, had to come from a new source. One could not follow Him and make it "fit" into unbiblical traditions. In other words, to follow Him, you must change drastically. This new life He would provide would need to be placed in new "wineskins." That is, the container had to be stretchable (changeable).

What about your life? Are you allowing the life of God in you to change you? Are you using that old excuse, "I can't change?" The text is teaching that the very definition of living with God daily implies "stretching." Every feel stretched? For the Christian that is proof that God is working in you and wants to change you from within. He not only KNOWS you can change, He is ENCOURAGING the process.

"Dear God, make me what you want me to be. I will stretch so that your fullness can work in me. I don't like change Lord, I feel insecure and vulnerable each time. Thank you that you have a finished product in mind that is sweet and refreshing. Amen"