The Transformer
By Vernette Kureck
“Do not conform any longer to the
pattern of the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you
will be able to test and approve what God‘s will is - - His good, pleasing and
perfect will.”
Romans 12:2 (NIV)
Was I
going to be conformed or transformed? That was the question I was asking myself
as I prepared to be baptized back in 1977. Baptism by immersion is a picture of
the old life being buried under the water and rising up in new life with
Christ. I had selected the above verse as a life verse since it was one I
could use to gauge how I was doing in the Christian walk. I also loved the word
“transformed”… this was the era of the new Transformer toys and our sons really
enjoyed converting the many moving parts of some sort of vehicle into a
disguised warrior. They quickly found out that if they didn’t follow the
directions to move the parts, there could be breakage or malfunction.
Thankfully,
I was not left alone in my transformation. Jesus gives us the Spirit of Truth,
and He guides us in all things, as He tells us in John 16:13-15. The more I
poured the Bible into my mind and responded to His counsel, the closer I was to
His good and perfect will. The more I adhered to God’s way and followed His
direction, instead of following my way or the world’s way, the more encouraged
I became that I was pleasing Him. And as I tested God’s will in Christian
service, I realized more and more that He was strengthening me, and He
continues to do so. The renewal process began.
Paul’s
charge to Timothy is: “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the
eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the
presence of many witnesses” (1 Timothy 6:12). The daily battle is who to listen
to…the world or the Word. To malfunction or to follow His guidance. For me, the
old life is dead, so the choice is clear. I prayerfully commit to do His will,
and ask for forgiveness when I do malfunction. (That is another whole
devotional!) As believers in God, we are being converted and transformed into
spiritual warriors. In order to be effective in the battle, we need to follow
the Master Transformer and allow Him to do His work in us.
With
His love and guidance, the battle will be won…and we will no longer be
disguised. We will be renewed. We will be transformed. Approved, and pleasing
to God.
GOING
DEEPER:
1.
What sources and resources are you using to renew your mind?
2. Is
the world or the Holy Spirit counseling you?
FURTHER
READING:
Vernette and her husband Ken have
been married 46 years. Their two married sons have blessed them with eight
grandchildren.
