Simple Remodeling?

This month my wife and I started, some home repair our goal was to do some simple much needed remodeling in our home.  Our house is about 50+ years old and there are many original parts that were in need of updating.  First we had 3 exterior doors that had lived out their lives on our home and no longer kept the cold or wind on the outside.  And the walls had all been painted for sale the typical sterile cream and were in need of new paint.

During the process of replacing the exterior doors, we felt that one of our “transition” doors seemed more in the way then useful.  So we took it out along with a 70’s era room divider, which was just a space waster.  So that involved some demolition then simple sheetrock work, taping and mudding.  Then as we replace our exterior doors we notice how poor the adjacent doors now looked so we replace 3 interior doors, and now realize that down the road we will also have to replace the 6 remaining interior doors.  So this simple project has also grown to enclosing a screen porch that is in need of repair. 

As I live out the Christian life the more I realize that God has not called us to a “Simple Remodel.”  I believe that is why it is easy for so many believers to live untransformed lives.  Because once you start making changes it is scary when you realize how each change bring into focus other areas in life that need repair.  It is like adding a new ceiling light to the room and now the empty nail holes that once held pictures are now glaring eye sores.  Or the dings that you never noticed in the trim are now more common then smooth pieces.   Look at Romans 12:1-2

Romans 12:1-2 (NIV, ©2011)

1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

This is a common passage with profound truth.  As we begin to transform our lives we begin to see our lives in this new light of Christ.  It is a lot like my house the more I make small improvement the more my perspective is changed.  I do not often realize how much I have conformed to the world until I have made some steps to improve myself, by conforming instead to Jesus.  The great thing about transforming my life is that unlike my house, my life is not limited by a budget.  It is only limited by my willingness to put my faith to work.  And as my faith is used to transform my life, the more my faith bank account expands.  This happens when we truly begin to understand and be assured of God’s faithfulness too us.  It is like making home improvement with someone else footing the bill. 

So my challenge to myself this week and you if you chose to accept it, is to begin looking for conformity to the world in myself and begin trading them out for conformity to Christ.  I realize that each step is just part of the life long process and ultimately I will continue to find more areas that need changing until the end.   I know that I do not have to trust only in what I think I can accomplish but what God can accomplish in me. So, I embrace this promise and prayer, “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.(Philippians 1:3-6)

Why Abram? And Why Ur

     This is an incredible question that readers of the Bible have had to wrestle with as they embrace God’s word.  It is not just Abram, this processes of moving from familiar to unknown is found in several places in the Bible.  There are many names you can insert in these questions (Joseph, Moses, Ruth, even Jesus). Why does calling and moving always signify significant change in the Bible?  As Pastor Matt, I deal with and wrestle with this reality.  The average Pastor serves his congregation for about 7 years in our culture.  After completing my first 7 years in ministry I recently faced my third challenge of relocation.   And to my surprise it came out of the blue when although things were not perfect at my church, I felt like I had really found my groove in the community I served.   

      I am telling you that each of these changes seems to come with increasing grief and heartbreak!  I cannot explain the grief and loss of leaving significant relationships behind.    So why does God put us through these transitions?  Each time I suffer significant changes in relationship and always commit to new unknown relationships.   I move from being loved and having supporting relationships to the unknown of hopeful promise.   I realize I have more knowledge of where I am going then Abram; at least I have met a few people during the interview process.  This change is really like getting married after the first date.  It all comes down to one idea: Do you believe God wants what is best for you even if you do not like how it feels at first?  The answer to this question is what shapes the hopeful promise I trust God has for me.

Genesis 12:1-3

The Call of Abram

 ¹ The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.

 ² “I will make you into a great nation,
   and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
   and you will be a blessing.^[a]
3 I will bless those who bless you,
   and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
   will be blessed through you.

      In this passage Abram is offered this challenging move, but along with it God made Abram a great promise.  God continues to make and keep promises with his people.  To keep this shorter,  please Read Romans 8:31-39.  This passage offers just one Amazing promise for us who follow Jesus. 

                So, why is this painful relocation and incredible transition so valuable for us who are called to lead groups of believers?  As I wrestle with this tonight, I realize a very important reality; movement and Christianity go hand and hand.  I do not believe for every believer it will be geographic, but making some transitions in our life will be equally painful and hard.  Maybe He reserves geographical moves  for his special hard luck cases!   I believe through this process, Pastors and all “moving” believers will become empowered and more empathetic to the pain and BLESSING of following. 

                Making these moves comes with the daunting task of helping people move, and being there to comfort them during the transition.  But we also get to share in the joy of the promised blessing, no matter how painful the transition may seem at the time.  How could I help people follow Jesus unless I had faced extreme painful moves?  And my petty trials are easier then some endure.  I also realize that God presents many ways for us to be moved in our life, it is never a forced move, but we must choose to listen and move.  Sometimes we hop at the opportunity for change and other times we take several false starts before we really change.  Was Abram the first guy God called or was he the first to respond? I will be sure to askGod someday.

            

Why would I move in the first place? 

1.  I believe God wants the best for my life.  Although, it often comes with suffering.

2.  I believe in God’s Word!  God’s word tells me he uses normal people to change the world.  Who would not want to do that?!

 3.   I believe God had a great plan in place when he created the Church and tells us it is like a Body.   When I enter a new “body” of believers, I realize that I bring new gifts to the body.  Just like transplants change people’s lives and opens new doors to the recipient,  I believe that God brings Pastors in to open doors that the Church is poised to open.   Not that churches cannot move on their own,  sometimes people follow God on their own to the promise land like Abram and sometimes he provides guides for them  like Moses.   The church sometimes need people who are learning to traverse uncharted territory to be their guides on these crazy new adventures.   

God, help me to lead other in to the uncharted lands you have for us.  Amen