Metamorphosis

Metamorphosis

It was the day of my mother's funeral, I was at the family home in the country early, big white house and a great grove of Oak trees, sitting on the front porch. One of my cousins wives came over and sat next to me. She said, "You have so much to be happy for on this day, you know that your mother, my dearest friend, is in Heaven." If only I had that consolation when my only child was killed in a car crash. He was old enough to know the redemption of Christ but never made any sign of believing in God."

The metamorphosis of life change MUST NOT wait for church activity. The Christ a child sees in the home, everyday activities, much more important than anything heard at the church house, school house. At your house, your child sees living epistles (2 Cor 2:3). The simple practice of the eating table, behavior there. At my home, manors were observed at the table. We did not go to the table half naked, were not allowed to complain about anything on the table, we stood back, looked at the food on the table (many times very sparse, whatever we had in the garden), thanked God for it and for the one who had prepared the food. Christianity is not complicated, just tough. If real in the home, it will be real after leaving the home, facing the problems of life when after we have exhausted our own abilities, we cling to the one who is never without power.

Of concern in many denominations-churches children reared in Christian homes who, after attending college are exposed to every demon Satan possesses they "lose their faith"...often never returning to church. They found that Christianity was just a charade at the church house, school house, court house and even your house....prayer at the table when there were guests, proper-acceptable language when there were strangers around. Mama and papa who could sing hymns like birds, be so kind to people at the church-community activities, shouting and calling one another names at home. If a child is not attracted to Christian faith when young, the chances of Christian values, even church attendance, almost never as an adult.

We eye doctors, were taught that a child's eyes are not developed enough to triangulate-coordinate until the age of five. By the time a child starts school they are wired to learn and learn very rapidly. One of the first thing a child learns as far as values-the difference between honesty and hypocrisy.

There is nothing as refreshing as the mental ability of a young child. Like the newness of another day, the morning, fresh air-birds singing, a metamorphosis of a new day.

For as he thinketh in his heart, so [is] he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart [is] not with thee. (Proverbs 23:7).

God said the same thing in so many ways, the moon a reflection of the sun (Genesis 1:16), light overcoming darkness (John 3:19) and as thy days, [so shall] thy strength [be]" (Deuteronomy 33:25), a deliverer, savior who never leaves us (Hebrews 13:5).

You can always tell if it is real, some play church very well-even at the church house. The bride always talks about her husband, not herself, she is in love. Mother-her children. Grandmother-her grandchildren. You do not beg a mother to give to her children or a grandmother to give to her grandchildren. Modern denominations-modern churches, have made a beggar of God. We beg people to give to God's work, attend services-even prayer service, teach small children in Sunday school. You know you have the spirit of God in you by your giving and your living. The metamorphosis took place, new creature (2 Cor 5:17), transformed (Romans 12:2), deny self (Matthew 16:24).

The sophisticated world, academia-country club crowd-political insiders and "many of these actually go to church, have a form of godliness" believe in their hearts that it is the "simple minded people" who believe in Heaven and Hell. They want a social religion, must like a civic club-fraternal club-country club-golf club, acceptability...."All you need is love" (The Beatles), "I did it my way" (Sinatra).

Jesus preached himself, his disciples and the early church would just have been a branch of Judaism. The Apostle Paul taught us about the church, God's true spirit-trust-faith of Jesus Christ. Never more clearly shown than in the book of Philippians, his love letter of joy to the church at Philippi. He was there just a short time and yet, for 11 years, the people there continued to send him gifts. He was imprisoned, chained, 19 feet down in a cistern, he did not need their gifts but so thankful for their love and remembrance. The Christian, having shed the old man of sin and rejection, having put on the new man, as transformed as the butterfly from the caterpillar, rejoices in his new creation, not ashamed of his salvation (Romans 1:16).

At the Lord's table, communion with Him, we forget self and think only of Him and what He did for us.