T R A N S F O R M E D

    As I was growing up, I had the desire to become a bodybuilder. To look at my thin body and then to see how others had successfully transformed themselves from "98 pound weaklings" to 225 pound giants impressed me. These people had literally changed themselves physically from one shape into another — but it wasn't as easy as we were led to believe! These people succeeded only with hours of work every day for years to create that perfect physique. The transformation was a long process.

    In biology class in school, we learned about metamorphosis and how God changed tadpoles into frogs, caterpillars into butterflies and moths, and larva into houseflies and mosquitoes. It seems incredible how any of the above objects can change seemingly overnight, but it does happen!

    Some of the movies lately have had some great transformation scenes. As if by magic a person changes into a werewolf or growth appears before your eyes — the great masters of illusion can do these things by stopping the action while filming to give us the appearance of an instantaneous change. But do things ever change instantly?

    When I tried to exercise like the bodybuilders and worked hard at it, my muscles became sore. Why were they aching as much as two days after the exercise? My muscles were growing and changing. That pain was growth or change within me and I felt a warm burn in my muscles. As things change, the whole body must adapt to the change. I hope you have experienced this type of "pain" sometime in your life, so that you know the feeling that I am referring to... it hurts, but it also feels "good."

    Can a person be changed overnight? Can a person be changed into something else in an hour? How about 1 minute? I am convinced that we, in our physical bodies can not create a total transformation in these time periods, BUT we can be changed spiritually in any of these time periods.

    Our spiritual body is anxious for this transformation, and God, who truly loves us, "...gave His only begotten Son [Jesus Christ], that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16 KJV)

    We CAN be transformed! Our spiritual body is waiting for our mind to say to it, I want a change and that spiritual body will transform us from a sinner condemned to eternal pain and suffering, to a new creature born again in an instant.

    What do we do to get spiritual transformation and get that "good feeling" inside? We must accept Jesus Christ as our personal savior and ask Him to forgive us of our sins. He will accept your sincere prayer and change you, if you truly believe in Him and are willing to allow Him to direct your life from now on. You can pray a prayer like this:

        Dear Lord Jesus,     

        I see that my life has been passing by with no commitment to You. I want You to turn me around and transform me into a person that will follow Your direction and not my own.

        I know that You are the only One who can do this. I am sorry for everything I have done that has displeased You and Your Father, God.

        Please forgive me of my sins right now. Take me into Your spiritual family and give me eternal life.

        From now on, direct my life completely — until I go to be with You in heaven.*

        (*prayer reference: Moody Daily Reminder)