Changed from Glory to Glory...
"And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."
II Corinthians 3:18
Back in December 2008 while on one of many visits to California, the Lord dropped the idea for this blog in my heart. There was no great revelation, just an urge to write down what I felt that He was teaching me. I am not a person big on being "deep", in fact it sort of irritates me when someone tries to come off as being "deep" by acting so spiritually profound; saying big words and statements that are actually rambling and confusing. Yep, just give me plain 'ol words that make sense.
So while praying about what the theme of this blog would be, I felt in my heart that it would be about how I experience God's wisdom in His Word through everyday experiences. Isn't
that how God works? I mean, why would He desire that we get to know Him and then make it so hard that we could never meet the goal...that is SO unlike Him! Grant it, life is full of complexities and sometimes you may never on this earth, get the answers to some things, but trust me, He has surely given us THEE answer, and that can only be found in Him.
With this in mind, I am always looking for ways in which He may be teaching me, it can be very amusing sometimes. I chuckle a lot to myself, sometimes in public (I know folks may think I'm crazy); but when He drops a lesson in my heart so simple and yet profound while doing an everyday chore like grocery shopping, I have to laugh...and snort...there I admitted it. And yes I have gotten some strange looks in the progress, but I smile, nod my head and move on and pray that the wagon with the men in white coats don't arrive to take me away.
It happened yesterday while repotting some plants. It was a beautiful fall morning and I wanted to check on my plants I keep on the back porch before bringing them in from the cooler temperatures. Sure enough several of them had outgrown their pots and needed to be re-potted. I made preparation on the front porch with the bag of potting soil, larger pots and the pot bound plants. The season of summer with it warm temps and humidity were
good for the plants, they are lush and green and have grown quite a bit! So it was time to come out of the old containers and into a new ones with fresh soil added and more room to grow.
Repotting plants can be a messy job, but I don't mind because I love getting my hands in the soil, something so earthy about it. A side note here: if a plant had feelings mind you, it could be temporarily a little uncomfortable with it's roots being exposed and the pruning that may occur during transplanting. However once it goes into a larger pot with more soil and room to grow, it can stretch out it's roots and go deeper. I have repotted many plants in my day and even with the messiness and "discomfort" while transplanting, in time, the plant ALWAYS benefits from the process and grow even more lush, stronger and beautiful.
Can you see where I am going with this? While I was re-potting, this lesson from the Lord dropped in my heart, I chuckled, no matter of fact I laughed, out loud...yep. See the Lord wants us to continually grow in Him. We should not be the same person that we were a year ago. We will always keep our same personality, and some of our physical attributes, but spiritually we should be growing into His image. Some people pride themselves in being the same, that they have not changed in 50 years! But what is that really saying? That you don't have a "teachable spirit"? That maybe you have all the answers? Or maybe you have settled into a comfort zone and have lost the desire to know God better?
The scripture above, II Corinthians 3:18 says that as we look at God's image (who He is, His character) then we should emulate Him, follow His ways and be changed, as one translation says "...from glory to glory..."
I'm not trying to come off as someone that has made the goal, but through this life's journey I am learning to desire to be like Him. It is sometimes very uncomfortable to go through change. Sometimes, just like that plant being re-potted, your roots get exposed (meaning: what you really stand for), ever heard of the phrase "Shaken to your very roots"? Well your roots, your foundation, really show what you believe, who you are. Come to think of it ladies, our hair "roots" shows what our REAL hair color is, just sayin' . If our "roots", our foundation is strong in God, that is the advantage to going to the next level.
After we have made it through the "transplanting" process, then God graciously allow us to get into a more roomier environment. A place we have never been before, uncharted territory, but more room to grow in Him. And though we may have been pruned a bit, may have lost a few friends and acquaintances along the way, may have lost some bad habits and attitudes, may have lost some erroneous beliefs, still it will be a season to grow and spread our roots deeper in Him; making us stronger and closer to His image.
I pray today for myself and you that our desire will be to know God better, to be willing to be "transplanted" and "re-potted" so that we can grow deeper and stronger in Him...
"Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God."
Ephesians 3:17-19
II Corinthians 3:18
Back in December 2008 while on one of many visits to California, the Lord dropped the idea for this blog in my heart. There was no great revelation, just an urge to write down what I felt that He was teaching me. I am not a person big on being "deep", in fact it sort of irritates me when someone tries to come off as being "deep" by acting so spiritually profound; saying big words and statements that are actually rambling and confusing. Yep, just give me plain 'ol words that make sense.
So while praying about what the theme of this blog would be, I felt in my heart that it would be about how I experience God's wisdom in His Word through everyday experiences. Isn't
With this in mind, I am always looking for ways in which He may be teaching me, it can be very amusing sometimes. I chuckle a lot to myself, sometimes in public (I know folks may think I'm crazy); but when He drops a lesson in my heart so simple and yet profound while doing an everyday chore like grocery shopping, I have to laugh...and snort...there I admitted it. And yes I have gotten some strange looks in the progress, but I smile, nod my head and move on and pray that the wagon with the men in white coats don't arrive to take me away.
It happened yesterday while repotting some plants. It was a beautiful fall morning and I wanted to check on my plants I keep on the back porch before bringing them in from the cooler temperatures. Sure enough several of them had outgrown their pots and needed to be re-potted. I made preparation on the front porch with the bag of potting soil, larger pots and the pot bound plants. The season of summer with it warm temps and humidity were
Repotting plants can be a messy job, but I don't mind because I love getting my hands in the soil, something so earthy about it. A side note here: if a plant had feelings mind you, it could be temporarily a little uncomfortable with it's roots being exposed and the pruning that may occur during transplanting. However once it goes into a larger pot with more soil and room to grow, it can stretch out it's roots and go deeper. I have repotted many plants in my day and even with the messiness and "discomfort" while transplanting, in time, the plant ALWAYS benefits from the process and grow even more lush, stronger and beautiful.
Can you see where I am going with this? While I was re-potting, this lesson from the Lord dropped in my heart, I chuckled, no matter of fact I laughed, out loud...yep. See the Lord wants us to continually grow in Him. We should not be the same person that we were a year ago. We will always keep our same personality, and some of our physical attributes, but spiritually we should be growing into His image. Some people pride themselves in being the same, that they have not changed in 50 years! But what is that really saying? That you don't have a "teachable spirit"? That maybe you have all the answers? Or maybe you have settled into a comfort zone and have lost the desire to know God better?
The scripture above, II Corinthians 3:18 says that as we look at God's image (who He is, His character) then we should emulate Him, follow His ways and be changed, as one translation says "...from glory to glory..."
I'm not trying to come off as someone that has made the goal, but through this life's journey I am learning to desire to be like Him. It is sometimes very uncomfortable to go through change. Sometimes, just like that plant being re-potted, your roots get exposed (meaning: what you really stand for), ever heard of the phrase "Shaken to your very roots"? Well your roots, your foundation, really show what you believe, who you are. Come to think of it ladies, our hair "roots" shows what our REAL hair color is, just sayin' . If our "roots", our foundation is strong in God, that is the advantage to going to the next level.
After we have made it through the "transplanting" process, then God graciously allow us to get into a more roomier environment. A place we have never been before, uncharted territory, but more room to grow in Him. And though we may have been pruned a bit, may have lost a few friends and acquaintances along the way, may have lost some bad habits and attitudes, may have lost some erroneous beliefs, still it will be a season to grow and spread our roots deeper in Him; making us stronger and closer to His image.
I pray today for myself and you that our desire will be to know God better, to be willing to be "transplanted" and "re-potted" so that we can grow deeper and stronger in Him...
"Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God."
Ephesians 3:17-19
Comments
I too not like the ones that come across 'intense or deep' and say things I just don't understand, but our good Jesus comes simple and clear to us, so His not so 'smart' children understand Him.
Thank you for sharing and blessings.
FABBY