Talk About a Turnaround!

"Then he restored the altar of the LORD

and offered fellowship offerings

and thank offerings on it,

and told Judah to serve the LORD,

the God of Israel."

2 Chronicles 33:16

He was about as bad as they come.  When you think of an enemy, he fit the bill.  He spent his days hunting down followers of Christ, using his power and position as a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin to persecute the early Christians.  Then he encountered the very One whose name he sought to destroy, and everything changed.  Instead of being bent on wiping out the followers of the Way, Saul became zealous for Christ and joined in with their cause (Acts 7:58-8:3, Acts 9:1-9). 

The history of Christianity is filled with such stories of radical transformation.  Coming into contact with a supernatural God who loves us beyond comprehension results in changes that cannot be generated any other way.  

Thus was the case of Manasseh, evil king of Judah who humbled himself before God and experienced a drastic change of heart.  And the same is true for me when I accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior and am turned from a slave of sin to one of righteousness (Romans 6:18).

New Perspective.  I was my most crucial consideration.  My plans, my safety, my comfort, it’s all that mattered to me.  Then I humbled myself before Jesus, recognizing how much I needed Him and letting Him lead me as only the Good Shepherd can. 

Over time I sensed a change.  Now I prefer God’s plan for my life, knowing it will bring Him glory.  Instead of worrying about how I can protect myself from harm, I let God do the shielding as I live for Him.  More often than not, I’m letting go of my desire to feel at ease with my familiar routine and surroundings and allowing God to push me beyond my limits.  While it is a work in progress, there is, nevertheless, a change taking place in my perspective.

Coming into contact with Jesus changes the way I see things.  For instance, I’m naturally drawn to anything that makes me feel good about myself.  Sometimes it looks good on the outside, like helping others or volunteering with charities, but my motivation is purely selfish.  I like how I feel when I’m doing good.  Jesus begins to show me, however, that I’ll never feel as complete as when I’m answering His call on my life (Ephesians 2:10).

Accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior begins a transformation process that includes a radical change in my perspective.

New Mission.  Cindy Lauper famously sang about a girl’s longing for fun.  The culture in which I live gives me the impression that my purpose here on earth is to gratify my own desires, quench my own thirsts, and satisfy my own appetites.  Then I meet Jesus and He gives me a new mission.

Now it is my heart’s desire to please God, placing myself under His authority.  As His servant, it is His calling which determines my footsteps.  Instead of doing what sounds good to me, I am now driven to seek His will, resisting the temptation to do as the world does (Romans 12:2).

Accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior begins a transformation process that includes a mission that comes from God instead of me.

New Values.   He had everything of which to be proud:  A strong Jewish heritage.  A stellar record.  A dependable and loyal image.  Paul possessed every reason to boast in himself.  After coming into contact with Christ, however, his values changed.  What once seemed so important now he considered as rubbish.  The only thing that mattered was knowing Christ Jesus as his Lord (Philippians 3:3-11).

What happens when I meet Jesus and invite Him into my heart?  The same as with Paul.  The pursuits I used to appreciate enough to chase wholeheartedly begin to lose their luster.   The friends I found as vital to my social life are now seen in a new, unflattering light.  The possessions that once seemed so important to my well-being now are considered as worthless.  Jesus becomes more as everything else fades in importance.

Accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior begins a transformation process that includes a new set of values.

No matter how I start out, God is able to radically transform me when I invite Jesus to sit as my Lord.  I will receive a new perspective, mission and value system as He takes over as my shepherd, transforming me into His own image.  Talk about a turnaround!  That’s a change worth talking about!

As I begin this day it Is my prayer that I can cooperate with God as He works to change me.

How do I tend to cling to the old ways when the new has already come (2 Corinthians 5:17)?

When am I unwilling to adopt my new mission?