Transformation

I am often amazed at how the general on-goings of life parallel our relationship with God. Psalm 19:1 states “the heavens declare the glory of God” as if all of creation is centered around communion with the Creator.

Jesus taught with parables. He took a simple ordinary event, and used it as an illustration regarding our faith. Our understanding is dependent upon our frame of reference. When Jesus tells the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11), we can relate because we put ourselves in the shoes of the characters. We have all been through similar situations and know how they must have felt. Parables are an exceptional teaching tool because they take the abstract (faith, God, Heaven) and put it in a context we can understand, i.e. our life.

Have you ever taken a moment to think about how often our lives mirror our faith? Think about the relationships you have. How dependent are they on good communication? Very much, I would assume. How does that relate to prayer? Think about the food you eat. Is your health dependent upon what you put in your body? How are you feeding your faith? It seems as though everything in our life is somewhat symbolic of our relationship with God, as if God is the center, primary, or the most important.

I was in the gym this morning, going through my routine and began thinking about transformation - the idea that a true follower of Christ should be transformed by their beliefs. I realized this idea is exactly like an exercise routine. The human body is a remarkably adaptive machine. Any fitness expert will tell you 2 things: 1. mix things up, and 2. intensity matters not duration. Why? Because the body adapts. By varying the type and intensity, you prevent your body from “becoming comfortable” and you will continue to make improvement. We plateau when our bodies adapt, and settle into a nice comfortable routine. At this point, the process of transformation comes to a screeching halt.
For transformation to continue, we must be challenged.

What is the point of exercise? Weight loss, endurance, flexibility, general health? Regardless of the goal, we will plateau if not challenged.
How is your faith? Are you continuing to be transformed or have you gotten comfortable in your routines? How can you start the process of transformation? What areas do you struggle with?

Transformation is a process, not a goal. Be it physical or spiritual, there is always room for improvement. We are made in the imagine of God, for God’s purpose. I pray that you seek out ways to grow in your faith and recognize that our lives are precious gifts. Gifts that, at the core, cry out for God and desire nothing more than to glorify the Creator.

Chris Jones
Director of Sports and Recreation
Playing with a Purpose