Change?

There is a certain relief in change, even though it be from bad to worse! As I have often found in travelling in a stagecoach, that it is often a comfort to shift one's position, and be bruised in a new place. ~Washington Irving

     Change!!  The Lord has been really talking to me about accepting change and though on the surface I get excited about new things, in my gut I cringe at the thought of change.  I have found that it's in the places that we find security that we hate change.  God is where we are to get our security and He tells us that He never changes.  I'm seeing why He made a point to share this bit of information with us. 
     Often times looking to the familiar is where we find comfort instead of the Holy Spirit.  I have a huge issue with this.  I love familiar.  I like to sit in the same place at the same time in the same building.  I like to eat the same food every time I go to the same restaurant.  I like the same clothes.  I drive the same routes.  Abused people do not like surprises.  I once verbally abused a man for surprising me with flowers at work.  Actually, this has happened more than one time.  I don't like surprises, even if they are good.  Abused people like to know what is coming, because life is a game of survival and usually with surprises comes pain.
     Recently I feel like the Lord said to me, "You will have to be willing to let go of the familiar to truly follow me."  This makes sense if I look at all the places he has taken me so far.  Expect the unexpected with Christ.  As I grow, scripture changes.  Not what is written, but what it means to me.  Scripture is a lot like an onion, the deeper you dig into the more the tears fall, but they are healing tears.  Sometimes the meaning of scripture changes to me when I hear the original translation. I actually chuckled when I heard the Hebrew translation for the word "all".  Get this - it's "all".  That's a big small word. 
     Growth is change and often times it's scary.  I finally understand why.  With growth comes responsibility.  When we are children, hopefully we learn how to treat people, but with that comes a responsibility to act out what we have learned.  For instance, I don't bite people anymore, even if the urge arises.  One of the most difficult things we have to do as babies is give up the bottle, the milk.  I think many Christians understand that, because it's easier to have the pastor give us the milk than to dig into the bible and find our own meat.  This is where we realize that growth brings responsibility.  Is God going to expect more from me?  Will I have to give more?  Will it become all about Him and not about me?
     I had a conversation with a friend last night and we were comparing notes on the things people have said to us.  "Is that all you talk about?  God, church, God, church?"  Pretty much.  Every moment of my day right now is about Him.  Learning more, talking to Him, praying for others, encouraging others.  What happens with growth is the way I see the world.  It's no longer, "How does this affect me?" but more often, "What can I do for You?"  God gave me a picture a while back of a bathtub.  It was full of water and I could barely tell that it was draining.  He said, "The water represents time."  Suddenly it was starting to swirl.  I knew what He was saying is that time is running out.  Even if we are on this earth for 1000 more years, that neighbor who is an unbeliever may only be here three more days.  I went through a real sense of urgency for a while.  How are we going to reach all these people.  I personally, do not want to see one person burn in Hell.  I really don't.  But, I can't reach them all. 
     God has a plan to reach them through each of us.  I truly believe that what He is asking us to do is grow through the garbage in our past so we can get busy helping others see their future.  Not only the unbelievers who need to see where they are headed, but the believer's who have a calling on their lives to reach others, but they're busy wiping their milk moustaches on their sleeves.  So, is God all I talk about?  Yep.  He is my Advisor, my Counselor, My Protector, my Guide, my Comforter, my Father, my Papa, my Dad, He is my Way, my Truth and my Life.  He is my Present.  He is my Future.  For those who get tired of hearing about it, He is also the Life Preserver I throw to others and someone you know just might be drowning one day.



1 Corinthians 15:50-58

New International Version (NIV)


50 I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”[a]


55 “Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”[b]

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.