Day 2336 of the 7 day Bible verse challenge.


2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV

As we talked about yesterday, this life of faith is a journey. It's a calling that we get to pursue every single day that we're given. It's the opportunity to leave the past and all our old ways behind while we constantly strain toward something better. It's the never ending process of becoming more and more like our Savior and less like the twisted world we're in. It is true rebirth into a new life spent learning from Him and working to make Him known to everyone here so that He can lead them to a better life as well.

There is a transformation that takes place when we finally find Christ and submit our lives to Him. We realize that continuing to live like we did before just won't work anymore. All of the sins and wickedness just aren't compatible with His calling to be holy. We can't be who we've been and hope to be something new. We can't go on hanging out in the comfort of the shadows and walk in His light at the same time. If we truly want to live by faith and follow His calling to be holy as He is holy then we have to change. A lot. Everything in fact.

The problem is that we have all wandered away from the fact that He created us in His image. We've forgotten that we were made to be His people. We've traded in His plans and His promises for the glitter and gold of this world. We've lived our lives focusing on everything the world says is important, true, and acceptable all while ignoring His definition of those things. We've learned how to live by watching the world around us and ignoring that small voice calling us to walk a different path. But at some point we realize that being like this world and doing as everyone else does just doesn't bring the happiness and fulfillment that we're looking for.

Thankfully He sent Christ to pave the way for us to find our way back to Him. He tears apart the lies that have blinded us to the truth so that we can see the error in our ways. He gives us the opportunity to leave all the weight of our shame and guilt behind. In His amazing grace He chose to forgive us for all the wrongs we've done so that we can lay it all down and follow Him instead of our selfish desires. He gives us His Spirit who helps us continually learn and grow in Him and further away from the world around us. He gives us that goal of becoming more and more like Him, something that will keep us working every single day that we're here.

What we desire is what we become. If we desire the things of the world then we're going to become like the world. If we desire selfish comfort and cater to our wicked impulses then we're going to become more selfish and more wicked. If we desire to fit in then we're going to become more like everyone around us. But if we desire the Lord and yearn to be transformed in His image then we will become more like Him. We will grow in knowledge of His ways and His truth. We will slowly unlearn all the lies and foolishness that the world has taught us and replace it with His plans and promises.

Friends, we get to spend the rest of our lives "being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory". Ever increasing. Ever growing. Ever improving. That's right, it only gets better and better when we're following Christ and living to become more like Him. Please take advantage of that life-altering opportunity because this world doesn't have anything that can compete with Him or what He has planned. Not even close.

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