Be transformed

I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness. ~ Romans 12:1-8

The truth is that we in churches aren't so big on transformation. Status quo has been a big part of who we are for a really long time.

There were big periods of transformation in the church: 313 when Constantine legalized Christianity, 1054 when the Eastern and Western Church Split, The Reformation started by Martin Luther, the Wesleyan movement in England, and others.

None of those events came smoothly. Upheaval wasn't popular by everyone. In some cases, people died because of it.

So, no...we've never been big on transformation.

We don't like to change our worship format or service times. We don't like to change the carpet color in the sanctuary. Some of us don't want drums or guitar in church. I've even seen knock down drag outs about changing the structure of a church building - in one case nearly leading to a lawsuit.

So, no...we've never been big on transformation. Conforming is much more - well, comfortable.

But Jesus was never about being comfortable. Nothing in our faith is about being comfortable.

Everything is about transformation.

And when we build up walls to stop the transformation that we are called to, we are truly missing being part of the Kingdom of God.

That isn't to say that all change is good or beneficial. But what it does say is the we are called to lean into the discomfort and see where it is God wants to take us.

Open me up to the transformation you are calling me to God, and help me be an agent of change and blessing in the places that need it. Amen