Your Daily Devotional for May 16, 2007

 

May 16,  2007

 

 

Changed by His Glory

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

"Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."

 

2 Corinthians 3:17-18

 

 

As we mature in our Christian faith, it is God's desire that we become like Him. If we wish to become like Him, we must experience a dynamic change in our lives. It is God's will to not only bring us into the image of His Son ultimately in Heaven, but also progressively through our walk with Him on this earth. He desires to change us by His glory.

 

Experiencing God's glory means being changed from the inside out. The word change in verse 18 of our verses means to "metamorphose." Even as a cocoon turns into a beautiful butterfly, so we can turn into what God wants us to be. No matter what we have gone through or how "rough" we may be, God can change us to be like Him.

 

We can be changed into the likeness of Christ by yielding our will to the Holy Spirit each day. Only the Holy Spirit can take a sinner and change them into Christ's image. We must be faithful to obey the Holy Spirit each time He speaks to us. As we yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit and to His leading and guidance in our lives, He will change us to be more like Him.

 

Not only are we changed by yielding to the Holy Spirit, but we are also changed by spending time in God's Word. As we read God's Word and spend time with Him, we will see His glory. No one who is exposed to the glory of God through His Word can remain the same.

 

The great orator William Jennings Bryan once said, "I have observed the power of the watermelon seed. It has the power of drawing from the ground and through itself 200,000 times its weight. When you can tell me how it takes this material and out of it colors an outside surface beyond the imitation of art, and then forms inside of it a white rind and within that again a red heart, thickly inlaid with black seeds, each one of which in turn is capable of drawing through itself 200,000 times its weight—when you can explain to me the mystery of a watermelon, you can ask me to explain the mystery of God."

 

Just as with the watermelon seed, no one can explain how God's glory can change even the hardest sinners into repentant believers, yet Christ promises that all who will come to Him can be changed. All who submit to and obey the Holy Spirit and will seek God's face through His Word can be changed into His image.

 

Are you seeking to be more like Christ each day? Are you reading God's Word and submitting to the Holy Spirit each day? As we spend time with Him and seek to live for Him each day, we will become more like Christ. Spend time with Christ right now. Ask Him to help you become more like Him as you live for Him today.

 

 

 

 

Daily Bible Reading

2 Kings 24-25 • John 5:1-24

 

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