“That Crepe Myrtle tree is going to look bad all season,” I commented to my wife, Melanie, one day as we left home. The tree was right outside our front door. I kept intending to prune it during the winter, but neglected the job all season. A few days earlier I noticed the beginning of new, green growth on the tree. But the old, ugly, dead pods from last year were still clinging to the limbs.
A few weeks later as we backed out of our driveway, I noticed the tree again. In a few short weeks, an amazing transformation had taken place. Most of the dead pods were gone, lying on the ground beneath its limbs. New growth now filled most of the tree, reaching out to the tips of the branches where blossoms would soon appear.
As I looked at the transformation that occurred, the thought came to me: That’s exactly what happens in our lives! We have Christ's life, but at times the old wrong behavioral patterns are still clinging to us. They are ugly and obviously dead but they are there nonetheless.
What are we to do when we see ugly remnants of a past season of our lives still hanging on? The most common legalistic approach would involve putting forth serious effort to rid ourselves of those ugly deeds that won’t let go. Many have been made to believe that the problem is simply that they aren’t trying hard enough or trusting hard enough. Or, worse yet, they’re taught that it’s up to them to prune away all the dead growth they still see. That kind of teaching is far removed from the grace of God.
Depending on your religious tradition, you may have been told to read your Bible more; to pray more; to memorize Scripture; to fast; to verbally renounce the sins; to cast out devils; to fast; to see a Christian counselor. The only answer empty religion can offer is yet another prescription for moral behavior modification. The problem is that it never works. Only Jesus Christ works.
As we yield ourselves to Him and focus our attention on Him and not on our sins, His life rises up in us and changes everything. We don't have to struggle to change our misbehavior. What religious determination can’t do, He can do. When our effort fails, His life can prevail!
Have you found that to be true in your life? Grace offers good news when we find ourselves in the place where we know there is nothing left for us to successfully do to get rid of the things that need to go. As you grow in grace, a transformation takes place in your life. The life of Christ surging through you will begin to fill you to such an extent that the old behavior will begin to drop away. The ugly remnants of a season gone by will be eliminated one by one as New Life fills you. You don’t have to prune it away. Instead, just look to Christ and trust Him to transform your lifestyle!
Jesus said, “I am the vine and you are the branches.” That verse offers real hope. As we trust in Him, we will discover that it isn’t necessary to try to prune our own life of the ugly things that still are holding on to us. Legalistic religion will tell you that it is up to you to do away with the dead deeds of your lifestyle, but the reality is that you don’t have the ability to do that. He will do it for you.
Simply depend on Him and you’ll experience a real expression of grace. You will be overjoyed to see that when you truly know you are rooted and grounded in the love of the Father, the remnants of the old life will lose their grip and fall away. Ultimately, His life will fill the branches of your behavior. And it will have happened without a struggle on your part.
As surely as the seasons change, our heavenly Father will finish the job He has started in you. You have been predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son. Romans 8:29 says, “God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him” (MSG).
Nothing, not even dead pods from a nasty old lifestyle, will stop His work in you. God always finishes what He starts. 1 Thessalonians 5:24 say, Faithful is He who calls you; and He will also bring it to pass.
Do you see ugly things still in your life? Let your roots grow deep in His grace and watch the transformation. His grace really is sufficient! New life will replace dead pods from yesterday’s bad behavior. You will experience the grace walk as you trust Him, not try harder.
- Steve McVey
No comments :
Post a Comment