Change - The Sure Sign of Life

“We shall not fall asleep in death, but we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye.” (I Corinthians 15:51b-52a)

They say that one sign of “old age” is that you don’t like change. In some respects I think that is true. The older I get I have noticed some inevitable changes: grey hair, less strength and energy, set in my ways, new pains nearly every day, memory loss. I don’t like the grey and thinning hair, the fast enumeration of wrinkles and my memory loss. I don’t like running out of energy before I finish my task, etc. But changes in my old body is inevitable and go with the territory, so I try to grin and bear it.

But some changes we should embrace. There is a quote on the wall of Alcatraz Penitentiary that reads, “If you do not change your direction, you may end up where you are heading.” In Acts 22, Paul testified of how he experienced some very dramatic changes that turned his life and his future around 180º, for the good - I am so glad! His changes went from being a terrorist bent on destruction of believers and the Church of Jesus Christ, to becoming a teacher and co-laborer bent on heaven and loving and building up the Church and evangelizing the known world for Christ. He went from fighting the Church to fellowship with the Church. Physically he changed from having sight to being blind, but spiritually he went from blindness to having his eyes opened and seeing clearly the Truth of the Gospel. He changed from being full of pride and rebellion to being humble and obedient. He went from self-sufficiently to being completely God dependent. He was changed from being self-assured with all of his education and status to being desirous to “only know Jesus and Him crucified,” and knowing he could do all things only through Christ, Who strengthened him (Philippians 4:13). This is what I call, "change and awe." For Paul, all of these changes were growing him into the perfect image of Jesus Christ. He was changed from glory to glory, until one day in God’s time, He would take Paul to live with Him in a changed and glorified body to not have the scars anymore, his sight was perfect and his hope was changed to reality.

To get a smile, a church put a sign on their nursery door which said, “We shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed.” Although some of us will still be alive when Christ returns all believers will then be changed and transformed into His perfect likeness – pure, holy and altogether righteous (II Cor. 15:51-52). As we now read, meditate and appropriate God’s Word we will see God’s glory and will be changed from one degree of glory to another(II Cor.3:18).

Here it is spring and there are changes in everything in nature. The trees have changed from their fall colors of red, yellow and gold to their winter attire of bare, naked branches to the beautiful green clothes of spring and summer. This change only comes because the trees are full of life. The same is true of the flowers and plants which have faded away during the harsh cold of winter, but as warm days have returned change is taking place in all the living plants. The stems first appear, then a bud, then the flower.

The resurrection of our Savior was so like the springtime. Just as the trees, grass and plants stand (or lie) dormant through the winter, then in the springtime they "resurrect" and grow and bloom because of the life within, just so is the resurrection of our Savior. His change from humanity back to divinity was “awesome.” Jesus was changed from death to life. Therefore, we also who believe are changed in this life from the curse of sin’s death to the hope of eternal life and from “glory to glory” to become more like Jesus, here and now.

That first Easter the whole world was full of change! The long awaited Savior of the world had finished the work of redemption for the hearts of all mankind. He was, is and will be the only One Who does not change,because He is God. He is the Creator of all things. The heavens and earth grow old like a garment but when they vanish away (and they will), God remains the same. He is the immutable God (Hebrews 1:10-12). None of His attributes will ever change!

Because God is love, His love never changes. Just as you can’t stop the waves from rolling into shore, you can never stop God from loving you. His love is constant and unconditional. There is no sin is so black that He cannot forgive, nor any pit so deep that God’s love cannot reach and save. And there are no chains so strong and binding that He cannot break and free. There is nothing so dark that the power of God’s love cannot change into light and joy! He is the CHANGER!

Look at the changes the Holy Spirit made in the lives of the disciples. Before Pentecost and them being “filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:1-4), they were doubtful, fearful and weak. But because of the Holy Spirit’s filling they were changed into bold, faithful and strong witnesses, even in the face of death. What made the difference? They were changed by the power of the Holy Spirit filling them – they were “born again,” old ways of thinking and acting had passed away – all things had become new. They saw Jesus with new eyes and their relationship with Him was changed. Where Jesus had been their teacher and friend, after Pentecost Jesus became their Savior and Lord. They had new hearts, new resolve, new speech, new purpose and new hope of eternal life. They had been changed into new men by the power of the Holy Spirit within. They no longer ran away and denied Christ, but boldly ran to the defense and proclamation of Jesus, the risen Christ.

If we are not changing we are not growing and have never truly come alive in Jesus. Coming face to face with the claims of Jesus and accepting His love and sacrifice for us means an instantaneous change, and that changing to be like Him will continue until we see Him - then we shall be perfectly like He is!

CHANGE ME, LORD
(author unknown)

To come into the presence of the living God is to be changed.
We cannot come into His high and holy place and stay the same.
So change me Lord, Remake me Lord, Conform me to the image of Your Son!

So change me, Lord, Remake me, Lord, Conform me to the image of Your Son!