Elohim, The God of Creation

 

“CONSTRUCTION ZONE”

                                              

I Corinthians 13:12 (ESV)  “For now we see through a glass, dimly; but then face to face:  Now I know in part; then shall I know fully, even as  I have been fully known.

One of the internet dictionary entries defines metamorphosis as it pertains to humans as “a change of the form or nature of a thing or person into a completely different one, by natural or supernatural means.”  What I am about to say is over simplified, but think of a butterfly.  It doesn’t start out being that beautiful multicolored creature.  It starts out as an ugly (I am entitled to my opinion) worm, that goes into a cocoon, and in due time, emerges as a beautiful butterfly.  That transformation is an “inside” job, unseen to outside, peering eyes.

That is kind of what happens after we make that all important decision to surrender our lives totally to God by asking  Him to save us and be Lord of our lives.  The process of transformation (which does not happen overnight) begins.  The “work” of salvation is an inside job that manifests to become more and more evident on the outside.  It is like a metamorphosis in a manner of speaking. 

There are people who can take a portion of a log and sculpt/carve it to look like an animal or person or whatever image they have in their minds.  I am sometimes amazed when I ride out to the beach and see one of these in one particular homeowner’s yard.  (If I remember it correctly, it is a bear standing on hind legs.) To a person like me  who does not have that kind of gift or skill, it is just a log, stump, or piece of wood.  The sculptor, however, sees what it has the potential to become, and skillfully and meticulously transforms it into something amazing.  During the process of that art piece “becoming”, it may look like a hot mess to an amateur, however, in the artist’s mind’s eye and hands, it looks just like it is supposed to look at each stage of the process. He/She starts with the end (result) in mind.  It is under construction.

 

At any point in our spiritual journey, others may look at us or our lives, pass judgement (seeing us like I see the worm), dismiss us by deciding that we are a “hot mess” and treat us accordingly.  By the way, why is it that some people---even people in the church or our own family---seem to hold onto such vivid memories of our BC (Before Christ's) life?  They can not (or choose not) to acknowledge the fruit or outward evidence of the inside work the Holy Spirit continues to do of transforming our lives. 

                                                              

The changes He makes on the inside do not happen overnight.  We are a “work in progress”, under construction, and not the finished product. (See Key scripture above.) Take heart when others look at you, size you up, come up with the wrong size, acting like their opinion is a fact.  1 Samuel 16:7 (NKJV) “...For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart”.  (By the way, an opinion is like a face.  Everybody has one).  You just keep moving and growing in your faith and walk with the Lord, because the Holy Spirit knows what He is doing, much like the sculptor.  The sculptor might make a mistake, but the Holy Spirit never will.    I John 3:2 (NLT)  “Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears.  But we do know that we will be like him as he really is.”

So, when others refuse to see or acknowledge the changes that the Holy Spirit is doing in you; that God is working on you,  just cling to this scripture.  Psalm 138:8  (NJKV)  ‘The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever; Do not forsake the works of Your hands.”  And if you feel led to share a scripture with them that they can ponder, may I suggest Psalm 130:3  (NKJV)  “If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand”.

Blessings, on your journey of “becoming”!

~CWP~