Devotionals
Transformed
Billy spent his life hanging out with the wrong people. His best friend was the bottle. When the subject of Christ was brought up, he did not wish to discuss it. Then in 2003, he was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer, among his other ills. Years with the bottle had taken their toll on his liver as well, turning his skin yellow. Billy lived about two years with this type of cancer [unheard of usually]. During which time God worked in his heart. Within a short time period, an invitation was given to him to receive Christ as his Savior, to which he responded with a yes. After his conversion, he signed his letters, “Your brother in Christ, Bill”. Billy had a total transformation from an unbeliever to one of God’s children. An amazing sight to behold indeed!
Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God [which is] your reasonable service, and be ye not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. When Paul uses the word, [Therefore,], one must look at the previous verses to see what is being said and then go from there. This verse of course is speaking to those that are already believers, yet the truth is the same, both the unbeliever that have taken on the new nature and the believer that is renewing their mind have been transformed. Whether it is a person that has just been saved, or a believer that is transformed daily to the will of God, transformation is amazing. The Greek word for transformed is Metamorfo, which means, to change into another form.
The best example of the word transformed, is that of the delicate butterfly. With spring having just arrived I often see butterflies, what beautiful creatures they are. The word used to describe the transformation that takes place in them, is metamorphosis very similar to Metamorfo.. The butterfly begins his life as an egg that the mother lays on a milkweed plant, which later will become his food. The egg hatches into a caterpillar [larva], he eats the milkweed and soon changes into a pupa, this is the resting stage where he undergoes a total transformation from a pupa in a cocoon to a beautiful butterfly. When he emerges from the cocoon, he is now a butterfly. What was once nothing but an egg, then a larva, and Pupa are now a free flying butterfly.
When Paul speaks of being transformed by the renewing of your mind, that is what he means, present your body to God, and be not conformed to this world, then, we can be transformed by renewing our minds, total transformation from the old life of sin to a life lived for Christ, with a mind centered on the things of Christ.
Application: Question to ask yourself and myself, am I renewing my mind? Have I presented myself to God? Am I being transformed?
Prayer: LORD, help me to live this verse out in daily life, it is not always easy to do, as Paul stated in Romans chapter seven, where he describes the battle between the old and new natures, however, help me to live for you. In Jesus blessed name, Amen.
In loving memory of my brother Billy
May 1943 to September 2005
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