CATERPILLAR TO BUTTERFLY
I have written many times about the essential importance of constantly re-affirming the Lordship of Jesus Christ over our lives, not only because the words in the Greek text of Romans 12:1 NKJV I APPEAL to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship.are in the present continuous tense, but we know from personal experience that there is something in us that wants to roll off the altar and that we do our own thing.
I regularly say to the Lord I want You to be:
The Lord
The Boss
The King
The Ruler
The owner
The President of my life
This has become an ever increasing revelation to me, and yet I feel there is still so much to learn, I want to come to that place that I will NEVER roll of the altar but stay there 24/7.
I have said all that because I want to also highlight today Romans 12:2, and I am going to spell the verse out from numerous translations.
NKJV And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
NLT Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
AMP. Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].
MESSAGE Bible Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
I remember the old J.B. Philips paraphrase said “Do not let the world squeeze you into its mould?
Can I ask you to spend a few minutes meditating on these verses and ask the Holy Spirit to “turn the light on”, that this truth following continued surrendered is also lifechanging.
The Bible tells us we are “in the world but not of the world” but the reality is as expressed here the world and its culture has a massive influence upon us.
So Paul tells us we must have a change from the inside out, the incorruptible seed (sperma) of the Word of God has been planted within us, (1 Peter 1:23) and a TRANSFORMATION must take place. the Greek word for transform is metamorphoo where we get the English word metamorphosis, and see this in the caterpillar being changed into a beautiful butterfly.
No doubt this is a process that takes considerable time, that is why learning to continually surrender to the Lord is essential if this process is to proceed.
WE may be at this time a “hairy caterpillar” but inside there is a beautiful butterfly and God’s plan is as we cooperate with His purposes, then we will know and experience more and more that we are walking in the will of God, that is sure where I want to be. May we let the transformation continually be taking place in our lives, so that people will see Jesus and His glory in us.
Remember “we have not because we ask not”, let us ask and keep on asking, for the Lord wants this process to ever increase in our lives amen.
