Transformation
Hi Everyone :-) Welcome to my "Come, Follow Me" series. Thank you so much for visiting my blog and reading my posts. I would love for you to share your insights as well, so please feel free to leave a comment before you go :-)
So many events took place this week’s reading that narrowing my thoughts down to one central idea has not been an easy task. As I studied the teachings in St. John 2-4 and worked my way through the Come, Follow Me lesson with my husband and family, I did so with these two questions in mind:
Are there common themes among these three chapters? If so, how do they connect to each other?
Where do these teachings fit in Heavenly Father’s plan to “bring to pass the immortality and Eternal life of man”? (Moses 1:39)
Studying these chapters with these two questions in mind has helped me to gain a deeper understanding and broader perspective than I have gained in my previous studies of the New Testament. I think you'll find that the four insights that I share in this blog in some way tie back to these two questions.
Putting Myself Out There
Before I get started, I thought I would put myself out there and share something personal. I find it really interesting that when I ask others to share their thoughts about the Come, Follow Me curriculum, a handful of people are willing to openly discuss it, but others seem to clam up or change the subject. The truth is, I used to do the same thing when it came to talking about “church stuff.” I know, hard to imagine, right? It's true. Whenever the topic of my religion would come up at school or at work, I would get this really uneasy feeling inside, and the back of my ears would begin to burn--like literally, burn. I think this burning sensation was my body's physical reaction to feeling threatened or like I was being attacked. Whether the reaction was because talking about the gospel seemed too personal or because I feared what others would think of me, I cannot say for sure, but it was likely a combination of both. This much is for sure, I always worried about the opinions of "others" and that "others" would judge me in a negative way for my spiritual beliefs.
Well, I say, judge away, people! This is the reason why I created Giving Virtue a Voice--to provide a public forum for sharing insights about gospel principles...."Come what may, and love it!" (Joseph B. Worthlin)
Heaven forbid that “other” people might think me so vastly different that they would keep me at arm’s distance and secretly shun me. I say that now with tons of sarcasm (and a teeny bit of lingering anger?), but the honest truth is that feeling isolated or shunned was a problem for me for many years. In the past, I have experienced emotional insecurities and angst due to an unhealthy fear of rejection or abandonment. The struggle, as they say, was real.
I Feared the Opinions and Judgements of Men More Than God
I have to confess that as I am reading this to myself, I feel a little bit embarrassed and ashamed because I am basically admitting that for over four decades I feared the opinions and judgments of man more than the opinions and judgments of God. I put way too much emphasis on gaining the approval of the world. In fact, that was pretty much at the forefront of just about every stupid thing I ever did! By trying so hard to gain the approval of the world, I neglected to seek the approval of God. I can see that now, and I totally hate having to admit this openly. But there it is. I am also not too excited about admitting that because of this misplaced need for the approval of the world, there were many times in my past when I was basically a shallow person--swayed constantly by the fickle opinions of others, making me a bit two-faced and, loathe to admit, even phony at times. My only comfort is in knowing that I am not alone and that I am not the same person today. By giving myself permission to be transparent with my readers, I am allowing myself to be vulnerable--and you know what? I am absolutely cool with that.
Give Yourself the Freedom to Be Transformed.
What does my confession have to do with this week’s message? EVERYTHING! You see, this week’s pattern, or theme, is about transformation -- Transforming water into wine--and not just any wine, but the very best wine -- Transforming hearts that seek for the riches and praise of the world, into hearts newly re-born and wholly converted, hearts committed to becoming a true disciples of Christ -- Transforming our hunger and thirst for temporal satisfaction into a hunger and thirst for knowing and doing the will of the Lord and drinking from the “well of water” that spring up “into everlasting life. And ultimately, allowing our mortal, fallen selves to be transformed into immortal & exalted beings."
The word “transform” suggests a change in condition, nature, or character; or to change thoroughly. Interestingly, one of its synonyms is the word “convert.” As I pondered this central theme during my studies this week, I found four examples of transformations to share with you.
Four Transformations
1st) Jesus can transform us into something or someone better than we currently are.
In John 2, Jesus performs his first recorded miracle: he changes water into wine. A chemist in our Sunday School class pointed out that the element of water, when broken down into its molecular structure, looks like the Godhead--one oxygen atom and two smaller and attached hydrogen atoms. I always thought water molecules looked like a Mickey Mouse hat, so thinking about them now as representing the Godhead makes me feel a little uneasy--as I am a little uncomfortable associating the Godhead with Disneyland. But I digress….
Because the elements of the Universe obey Christ fully and completely, He can change, or transform, them into whatever He wills. Likewise, as we come to obey Christ fully and completely, He can transform us into Godly men and women. Important to note here that our transformation into Godly men and women requires action on our part and a willingness to become someone and something better than we are in our mortal, or earthly state. This transformation is a process, not an event.
2nd) We can be transformed into Sons and Daughters of Christ.
In John 3, Jesus explains the need for each of us to be born again--born of the water and of the Spirit. This was covered to some degree in last Sunday’s blog when I shared my thoughts about water representing immortality and the Spirit representing our sanctification through the blood of Christ’s Atonement, thus fulfilling God’s purpose to bring to pass our immortality and eternal life. The one being an automatic gift given to all of God’s children; the other being a gift conditioned upon the use of our agency to repent (change, transform), and submit our will to the will of the Lord (commence and remain on the covenant path). So here again, we see the need for, and the blessings that follow, our spiritual transformation from sons and daughters of man into Sons and Daughters of Christ. (Mosiah 5:7-9)
3rd) We can transform our hunger and thirst for temporal things into a hunger and thirst for spiritual things.
In John 4, we learn about the living waters that only Christ can provide. There are so many possible applications of this phrase, but if we view it through the lens of Moses 1:39, then we see that Christ offers us the waters not only of everlasting life (immortality) but also the waters of eternal life (God’s life). So then, how do satisfy this spiritual hunger and thirst? David A. Bednar suggests that this comes through both worshiping God in Spirit and Truth and in doing His will. I think this refers to our covenants--those we make at baptism and those we make in the temple.
Think about it. What is our greatest need, our greatest thirst? Isn’t it to live with our families for eternity in the presence of our Heavenly Father, and to receive all that He has to offer so that we can become as He is? If this is what we truly hunger and thirst for, then we must look to Christ, for He alone provides the Bread of Life and the Living Waters that make those treasured blessings possible.
One of my dear friends shared a thought with me about this conversation between Jesus and the woman at the well. She brought up the point that when Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman at the well, He revealed who He is and His purpose for coming to earth to a fallen and very flawed woman. His own people, those in Jerusalem, rejected Him as the Christ, but this woman, a Samaritan, not only believed Jesus was who He said He was but immediately, she made it known to others that He was the Christ. This conversation between Jesus and the woman at the well gives us all hope, for if Christ will reveal himself to someone so flawed, then He will also reveal himself to us--undeserving as we are. Isn't Grace amazing?
4th) We can transform our homes & our hearts into sacred and holy places.
In John 2:13-22, Jesus cleared the temple of all people and items that he considered offensive or that violated that holy space. We also have been admonished to clear our homes (and hearts) of all unholy and impure influences, such as the use of profane language, offensive television programs, inappropriate or suggestive reading materials, video and/or computer programs and games that promote violence or immorality, etc. We transform our homes and our hearts when we seek after and embrace those things that promote wholesome virtues. As the 13th Article of Faith states, “If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.” This aligns beautifully with one of my all-time favorite scriptures, "Let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God." (D&C 121:45) Writing this blog each week is one way that I am allowing virtue to garnish my thoughts unceasingly.
Call To Action
So then, what should be our call to action this week? It depends upon where we are in our walk with God. We may need to begin by giving God permission to transform us from "water" into "wine." We may need to begin with asking ourselves if we have truly been born again--if we have buried the old creature and become Sons and Daughters of Christ. Or perhaps we should begin by drinking daily from the well of Living Waters. Wherever we begin, we can be assured that God can transform us into something better than we currently are. Correction: God can transform us into the very BEST that we can become. Period.
That is pretty darn cool, isn't it?
Until next week :-)
If you found this post uplifting, I hope you will share it with your friends. Thank you :-)