"Lord, Change Me!"

I am currently reading a book by Evelyn Christenson titled, "Lord, Change Me!" Someone said, that if you don't want to change, then don't read this book! The Lord has used Evelyn and her public speaking ministry to reach thousands of women across the globe for Christ. I am finding this book to be perfect timing in my life and struggles as I break free from the chains of bondage that the flesh has had a hold of for so long. Transformation is never easy and it is always painful. But oh, so worth it.

Today in my LTG (Life Transformation Group... appropriate, huh?) we talked about how we were crucified with Christ, buried with Him, and rose again with him. What? Is this wacked theology? At first, I thought, huh??? But, then I remembered Romans 7 says we are crucified with Christ. That means we died to our flesh when Christ died on the cross. Then, when he rose from the grave, we came to life again too... we are a new creation. This I understood. No problems with that. BUT, the burial? How does that work out?

This is the coolest part... for a seed to grow into a plant and flourish... what must it do? It first has to be BURIED. It then rots away to nothing, then suddenly a plant begins to grow out of that mass of rot and decay and then eventually brings forth fruit. This will never happen if the seed does not get buried. It MUST go into the ground. The same thing stands for me as a follower of Jesus. I died with Christ. I was buried with Him... the flesh rots away and deteriorates. And then I rose with Christ. Behold! I am a new creation! In order for me to grow and bring forth fruit, the flesh has to be done away with, it HAS to be buried! Ah ha! I got it. It all made perfect sense, and wasn't as theologically bizarre as I at first thought.

As the day has gone on, I started thinking some more along this line. It reminds me of the "Parable of the Growing Seed" in Mark 4:26: "A farmer planted/buried seeds in his field. Then he went on with his other activities. As the days went by, the seeds sprouted and grew without the farmer's help, because the earth produces the crop on its own." The farmer in this story did nothing to make that seed grow... other than bury it. Once it was in the ground, he didn't water it or pay it any attention. Then, after a season it sprouted and grew. We hear this story related frequently to sharing our faith with others. You know, we plant the seed, and then pray to the Lord to bring forth fruit. We can't force someone to follow Jesus. It's only the Holy Spirit that opens their eyes when they are ready. While this is true, I think the meaning is even bigger than that. It doesn't just mean evangelism and conversions. I think it also something even more personal. I must first die to my flesh, bury those desires in the ground, and then wait for the Lord to grow me. It's not something I can force. I can't do it in my own strength. Since I am alive in Christ, HE does the growing and the crop producing!

Whew! That surely takes a load off of my shoulders. I will hear and understand the Truth and grow in it, ONLY when Christ reveals those things to me... as I continue on this quest of "Keeping My Eyes On Jesus."