One evening our oldest son, Blake, came to have dinner with us. He tends to show up when it is time to eat! He came straight from work and while we were waiting on the food to be ready he slipped into the shower. As we sat down to eat I noticed he was wearing the same clothes he had on when he arrived at our house. So I asked a futile question, “Blake, did you put the dirty clothes on after your shower?” His naive response, “Yeah, why?”

Why? Because that doesn’t make any sense! Why would one put their dirty clothes on after getting a clean shower? But perhaps we do this every day without even realizing it. Paul says we do:

…You’re done with that old life. It’s like a filthy set of ill-fitting clothes you’ve

stripped off and put in the fire. Now you’re dressed in a new wardrobe. Every

 item of your new way of life is custom-made by the Creator, with his label on it.

All the old fashions are now obsolete. Words like Jewish and non-Jewish, religious

and irreligious, insider and outsider, uncivilized and uncouth, slave and free, mean

nothing. From now on everyone is defined by Christ, everyone is included in Christ.

Colossians 3:9-11 (The Message)

In school, we learned how a caterpillar builds a cocoon and, over time through a process known as chrysalis, emerges as a butterfly. While inside the cocoon, the caterpillar is growing and changing, and when it comes out, the change becomes apparent to anyone who sees it. The butterfly cannot go back and become a caterpillar again. That wouldn’t make any sense.

Spiritual changes happen in much the same way. Jesus accepts us as we are, but He loves us too much to let us stay that way. Over time, Jesus changes us from the inside out. This transformation doesn’t happen overnight, but in time, everyone around us can see that we are not who we used to be. Once the new begins to take its place, we can’t go back to the old. That wouldn’t make any sense.

Think about it…

• How has your life changed since you’ve met Jesus?
• Are there parts of your old self still showing?
• Are there places where you are exchanging the old for the new?
• Are there places where you are trying to exchange the new for the old?

 

 

 

When the letters and packages were fetched from the mail box and brought into the church office we noticed a sticker on them. It read, “Please do not block your mailbox.” Oops. Our bad. We had cars that unquestionably obstructed the mail carrier from being able to easily drive up and deposit the snail mail in the little black box. We are appreciative of the carrier’s efforts to go ahead and leave the mail and to give us a friendly reminder not to do that again for the sake of his or her convenience.

We were at fault, but we had a most excellent excuse! A crew moved in early yesterday morning and began the task of seal coating the church parking lot. The first step in the process is to clean the asphalt and the workers asked that we temporarily move our cars while they scrubbed that part of the lot. We moved our cars as far off to the side as we could, where, you guessed it, the mail box sits.

We were in the wrong, but we had a very good reason. One that the mail carrier wasn’t aware of.

Isn’t that often how it is with people we meet every day? They might not be the friendliest. Or perhaps they say something biting. Or give us a gesture that is not the most loving. But we have no idea what is going on in their lives. We just deposit a sticker in our minds that reads something like, “Rude”, “Horse’s rear end”, or “Stay away, don’t engage.” Perhaps we should lean in and learn a little more about their life. There’s probably good reason for their behavior. Deep down there’s more than likely a hurt, habit, or hang-up just waiting to be invited out into the open.

They may be in the wrong, but perhaps there’s a very good reason. One that we are ignorant about until we get to know them and their story.

Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.

Ephesians 4:2

 

 

 

 

 

I attended the funeral of a saint this week and remembered the many conversations I had with him over the years. He had a vast knowledge of the Bible, Christian history, and always had a fascinating story to tell. He was a true evangelist sharing Jesus everywhere he went – his office, in the jails, at church, on the street corner – literally anywhere he could. He always told me (and many others I learned at his memorial service) that you have to say the want to prayer.

The want to prayer? He always reminded me that one has to have the want to get to know Jesus. And whenever he would share Jesus with someone, he always told them to pray the want to prayer.

How about you? Do you need a want to prayer today?

• I want to know Jesus.
• I want to know Jesus better.
• I want to worry less and pray more.
• I want to follow the world less and Jesus more.
• I want to follow more of God’s will and less of my own.
• I want to resist less and surrender more.
• I want to judge less and love more.
• I want to be who Jesus wants me to be and not what others want to see.
• I want to spend less and give more.
• I want to honor Jesus with the things I say and the things I choose not to say.
• I want to be less critical and more thankful.

And the list goes on. What’s your want to today? Pray it now!