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"For
whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to
the image of his Son." Romans 8:29
A story is told that the marble used by Michelangelo to create the
famous statue of David had lain long without use because of a fault
in the massive piece of stone. In fact, the very stone had
previously been rejected by Leonardo himself as worthless. When
asked how he could create something such as the great masterpiece,
Michelangelo replied, "It is easy. I just knock off what doesn't
look like David".
When we receive God's forgiveness, a work is begun in us to be
conformed to the image of Christ. We dwell in earthly temples of
clay that are prone to faults and failure. Only in yielding to the
master builder can we be transformed to walk in holiness.
When we receive the infilling of the Holy Spirit, the transformation
is brought to a higher and more intimate level. As we cease to
resist the Spirit's dealings and daily yield to His revelation of
truth, He gently molds us more and more into his image. He chisels
away at our lives, and we begin to shed things that would obscure
His likeness from being revealed.
The
process is painful at times. We may feel we are being called to
release something that we identify with as being part of "who we
are." When we recognize needs in our lives and places to change, we
often feel that progress is too slow because it doesn't happen over
night. Have faith in God. "Being confident of this very thing, that
he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it..."
Let us
yield to the hand of God so when men look on our lives, they see not
the lump of clay, but the image of the Master.
W.J. Henry
expressed these sentiments in the chorus of this song:
Oh, make
of me what thou wilt have me to be,
As clay is
so I am to thee;
Just
fashion me to thine own pleasure,
Till thou
shalt thine own image see.
-Sis. René
Smith |
