Renewing Image

Renewing Image

Colossians 3: ⁸ But now you must get rid of all these things: anger, passion, and hateful feelings. No insults or obscene talk must ever come from your lips. ⁹ Do not lie to one another, for you have put off the old self with its habits ¹⁰ and have put on the new self. This is the new being which God, its Creator, is constantly renewing in his own image, in order to bring you to a full knowledge of himself. ¹¹ As a result, there is no longer any distinction between Gentiles and Jews, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarians, savages, slaves, and free, but Christ is all, Christ is in all.

 

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“Where were you?” was the strange question given to me. I had snuck back to my apartment, made dinner, ate and came back to work to clock out. My clothes wreaked of cooked food and I was not where I was supposed to be. “I am disappointed in you especially.”

 

• I could see the disappointment in his face.
• I had not done what I was supposed to.
• I ruined my image over something that could have waited.

 

Paul addresses image. Some people were expressing rage, hatred and extreme feelings against or towards specific groups of people. Their image was no longer like that of GOD. Instead, they had fallen into habits that were divisive.

 

My Observations

• GOD created me in HIS image and HE was very pleased.
• Sin caused me to no longer look like HIM, rather I looked like the enemy who tried to steal me.
• JESUS restored my image and provided the HOLY SPIRIT who is “constantly renewing” me in HIS own image.

 

Being born into sin seems unfair and impossible to overcome. I mean, I did not choose to be born, yet because I was born, I an condemned! Not fair! BUT GOD saw this and made things right. JESUS saw the impossible situation, became a human, allowed HIS creation to murder HIM and was raised from the dead for all who believe.

 

Salvation changed my image from death to life. I am now alive! Because of JESUS I have purpose, abundant life and hope. I still sin, but I have an alternative and forgiveness that enables me to have peace in the middle of the storm. I am glad GOD cares about me enough to bring me back to HIS image.

 

Challenge

• What does the writer mean by “put on the new self?”
• Do you think GOD, who saved you, has left you on your own to figure out how to get out of trials?
• Will you trust GOD’s ways enough to drop some old habits and to become more and more like HIM, little by little today?

Broken Mirror

 Broken Mirror

1 Corinthians 12 ¹² Christ is like a single body, which has many parts; it is still one body, even though it is made up of different parts. ¹³ In the same way, all of us, whether Jews or Gentiles, whether slaves or free, have been baptized into the one body by the same Spirit, and we have all been given the one Spirit to drink.

 

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When I was moving, I threw a hand mirror in a box with books and other hard items. While unpacking I noticed it was cracked. I could still use the mirror, but it just wasn’t the same.

 

• I am part of larger group.
• I am a broken piece of a whole mirror.
• I am part of the entire body of CHRIST, but I need other broken pieces.

 

“Let us make man in OUR image” was the creation of the mirror. But when Adam sinned, the entire mirror was broken. It could no longer reflect GOD as a whole. Each piece could reflect a tiny portion, but not the whole being.

 

My Observation

• GOD wants me to know I am part of CHRIST, but only a part.
• GOD wants me to understand that I need other pieces of the mirror to reflect HIM properly.
• GOD wants me to seek the other broken pieces to put the mirror back together.

 

Knowing one part of the mirror is not more important than another part is the beginning. I mean, when I move a piece of the mirror to the eye or the ear, it reflects what is shown. BUT GOD wants an entire reflection. HE wants all the pieces put back together.

 

But what happens when they are all together? Wouldn’t there still be a crack? Yes. But somehow the HOLY SPIRIT removes the crack when we are “baptized into the one body” by HIM. HE guides us to see we all need each other to truly reflect GOD. I am glad I need other pieces.

 

Challenge

• What are your observations about the differences spoken here?
• What do you notice about the HOLY SPIRIT?
• Do you feel you are a part of something much bigger?
• Will you seek CHRIST and be added into the body today?

Broken Mirror

Broken Mirror

Romans 12: ⁴ We have many parts in the one body, and all these parts have different functions. ⁵ In the same way, though we are many, we are one body in union with Christ, and we are all joined to each other as different parts of one body. ⁶ So we are to use our different gifts in accordance with the grace that God has given us. If our gift is to speak God's message, we should do it according to the faith that we have; ⁷ if it is to serve, we should serve; if it is to teach, we should teach; ⁸ if it is to encourage others, we should do so. Whoever shares with others should do it generously; whoever has authority should work hard; whoever shows kindness to others should do it cheerfully.

 

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Preserving some of my junk in the move, I wrapped a mirror in newspaper to protect it. I placed the mirror in a box with books because it seemed like a perfect fit. Somewhere in transport, the mirror broke. Since it was still in the frame, I used it. I learned how to navigate the cracks for different purposes.

 

• There have been many times when I pondered my purpose.
• There have been many times when I wondered if I was doing what I was supposed to be doing.
• There have been many times when I questioned my purpose compared to another person’s purpose.

 

Paul tries to convince everyone to use their gifts and talents for the LORD. He eludes to the fact that some people are gifted one way and others are gifted another. Each person has a gift that they can do extremely well and it should be used for GOD.

 

• GOD wants me to use the gifts and talents HE gave me to serve HIM.
• GOD wants me to know I am not gifted in all ways, so I need other people.
• GOD wants me to be in union with others so together, we can make one body, which is CHRIST.

 

When the first human sinned, every human fell to GOD’s discipline. Every human became a sinner. We used to be made in GOD’s perfect image but fell to pieces, individually reflecting GOD, one tiny fragment at a time. My reflection is only part of one huge mirror that attempts to show GOD.

 

My fragment is no more or less important that another. It takes GOD to pick up the broken mirror and put it together to make something that can reflect HIM. HE fuses the broken pieces together so the entirety can be used. I am grateful GOD takes my tiny faith and connects it to other broken people.

 

• Do you think your gift is not valuable?
• Do you feel less than other people?
• Will you stop looking at other people and allow GOD to show you your gift and talent so you can use it to glorify HIM today?