Carol J German

Last week in Bible study we attended a wedding. When Jesus is in the midst, great things happen! He revealed His first miracle, changing very dirty water into wine. To take what is unusable and turn it into something beneficial and fruitful. Isn’t He like that, to reveal how His love is transforming. Jesus chose to walk on Earth to be what we need. And the needs we have are rectified by His resurrected love. A powerful love that cannot be quenched.

For this transformation to take place, we need to makes some changes. Unfortunately, change is not easy for many of us. Allowing God to change us is humbling, hard and uncomfortable. Don’t we like to drag our feet, consciously forget (yes, you read that right), hide in our routines or perhaps don’t bother for I can do it tomorrow. See, consciously forget. Change can be likened to trying on new clothes or shoes. We feel out of place when we try on a style that might not be fitting to our tastes or what we are used to. Putting on a new style makes us a bit uncomfortable, awkward perhaps. It’s like we need a transition time, take our new things home and test them out. Wear them to see if they fit and if we like them or not. We can always return them. I guarantee you, when shopping at the Holy Bible Retail Center, you will not have any returns! What God has for us is suited individually and you have a personal stylist to help you out, the Holy Spirit! With Jesus, you are never on your own.

When we arrived to the wedding, we were in our old clothes yet when we left with Christ, we were transformed! We left differently than when we came which means God wants us to get a new wardrobe and be clothed with items that will enhance our beauty in Him. We are to take on His image now. We do not live the same way before we attended the wedding. We now walk with Christ.

God wants us to be comfortable in His attire so we need to get in the fitting room and try truth on. It might not feel comfortable at first but eventually you will find that God’s style fits you like a glove, like Jesus jeggings. What is great is that you are skinny in His holy clothing! As you grow accustomed to being in His Word, you will want to wear nothing else. You won’t have a tummy pooching out or a saggy behind. The only muffin top that will be seen is on your plate for breakfast. Isaiah 61:10 says, “I am overwhelmed with joy in the LORD my God! For He has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom in his wedding suit or a bride with her jewels.”

Don’t we like God to change and conform to our needs and wishes. But this is not reality. God is God and we are made to become in likeness to His Son. It is not the other way around. We are to let God take us into His fitting room and let Him style us to fit His plan. We all have a role to play in the time allotted to us and we need to be fitted appropriately. Our days are not ours. Each day is a gift and we should treat them accordingly with gratitude to the One who gives us breath.

         What is amazing is that one-size-fits-all is true with God. He takes His apparel and conforms it to us in a way that we will feel our best. We will be able to walk down the street with our head held high and a kick in our step. Your heart is full of goodness and love and your mindset has had a makeover. You will have joy in your heart and your soul is alive! Go ahead and sing a song as you go about your day. Out of key? Not to God for He hears sweet melody from His children. Remember, you are breath-taking! Christ’s blood erases all our awkwardness, insecurities, fears, hang ups and selfish ways. His cleansing blood reunites you with your Father. This is love at its finest. So complete and whole.

        In God’s fitting room, you will find Romans 12:2 posted on the wall, “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.” He gives us a new path to follow. One that is better than any path that the world offers.

So, I want to challenge you. What may God be asking of you, to let go of, so He can redress you? It might be thought patterns, a time-consuming job, habits that have a hold on you, idols that you prize over relationships or you idolize someone more than Jesus, pursuing growing assets, the list is endless. What if God took over? What if?