Worship

“The Unmaking” by Nichole Nordeman

Scripture

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” -Romans 12:2 (ESV), emphasis added

A note from Julie: This devotional was written by my dear friend, Patrice Vines. Enjoy this word of encouragement from her.

God’s Design for Transformation

Wonder (noun): a feeling of surprise mingled with admiration, caused by something beautiful, unexpected, unfamiliar, or inexplicable.

You are about to learn something that will cause you to pause in wonder at God’s miraculous creation and see once again how He uses His creation to help us understand who He is. Let’s start with a story.

One summer, our daughter and her little cousin were in the backyard playing when all of a sudden they came running in, saying a butterfly needed my help. I went outside and saw a very wet looking butterfly. The girls thought the butterfly was hurt, but it actually had just done the hard work of emerging from its chrysalis! I told the girls that if we help the butterfly, we will actually be hurting it because the work of flapping her wings not only dries her wings but strengthens them so she can take off and fly. As we investigated to see where the butterfly had come from, we saw a yucky mess of pink liquid and tattered chrysalis. We had the chance to find out what really happens when a caterpillar turns into a butterfly.

The Wonder of Metamorphosis

Now be prepared to be amazed! So much more is happening than the life cycle we learn about in kindergarten. Once the caterpillar hatches from its egg, it begins the task of eating as much as possible every day. Every day it eats and eats and eats. Crawling with all of its legs from one leaf to the other just eating. Then more eating. Eventually, the fat, juicy caterpillar (if it hasn’t been eaten yet by a hungry bird) is ready to attach to the underside of a leaf or branch and begin the process of being encapsulated into a chrysalis. If all of that wasn’t enough of a miracle, God decided to get really creative with what happens inside the chrysalis. The caterpillar actually liquifies! In that little capsule is caterpillar soup, then all of the DNA of the caterpillar is rearranged with the code to build a beautiful butterfly. How is that even possible? Once all of that has happened and the new creation is complete, the butterfly must push its way out, hang upside down to pump blood to her wings, and then she is ready to fly! No more crawling on the ground eating leaves all day. She is now free to fly and drink nectar from beautiful flowers. Her entire viewpoint is changed because of the transformation she has undergone!

Understanding Biblical Transformation

Now reread our passage for today. That word “transformed” has a whole new meaning now when we understand even more what it means. The Greek word there is metamorphoo, which means to “change one’s form; alter fundamentally.” The Lord is interested in fundamentally changing us through His unchanging, fully perfect, fully true, applicable-for-all-time Word. We won’t be taken out with the tide of culture if we are being fundamentally changed from the inside out by the transforming Word of our Lord.

I use the Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible, and it teaches me so much because I can look up original words right in the back of my Bible. Here is what it says is an expanded form of Romans 12:2:

“And quit being so concerned about keeping up with the fads and fashions of the present age; rather, concentrate on letting your character undergo a metamorphosis by the renewing of your mind; in order that you might be able to evaluate and ascertain what the will of God is—that which is good, well pleasing and ideal.”

The Path of Transformation

The Creator of all things invites us to know Him and be known by Him, and the primary way we get to know Him is by spending time with Him in His Word. The Lord’s Word is then a springboard for prayer, worship, and action because His Word is igniting transformation—through the Holy Spirit—in our hearts that move to our minds. The Lord’s invitation is not to study Him like a textbook; rather it is to sit at His feet like our sister Mary did (Luke 10:38-42). No picking on Martha! Read her words to Jesus when her brother, Lazarus, dies. Her faith and belief in who Jesus is and what He alone is capable of doing was quite unique in her time.

The Lord is calling His Bride to awaken. I believe He desires us to hear this:

Daughters, I am calling you to My heart. The process of transformation is not a smooth, easy path. I will need to rearrange some things and purge some things that don’t belong so I can make room in your heart for more of Me. Trust Me with your heart. After all, I am the One who made your heart, so I alone know your heart and exactly what it needs. I alone know the plans I have for you, and you can trust Me that My plans are indeed good. Remember, My precious daughter, the good plans of salvation I had from the beginning of time—plans to heal, redeem, and restore what is being stolen by My enemy. My good plans included sending My beloved Son to live with people who rejected Him, lied about Him, questioned everything He said and did, and betrayed Him. And yet, My good plan was that My perfect Son should die a torturous death for them and you. I take broken things and make them beautiful. I take things that look disastrous and flip them on their head to create a wonderful ending. Fix your eyes on Me (Hebrews 12:1-3) and see where I am working to transform you into a beautiful butterfly ready to fly to new heights with Me!

A Few Key Notes

• An Arise short-term mission team will be sharing the gospel in Vancouver, Washington, next month, and we need prayer warriors to intercede for this team over the week. Email me at [email protected] for details on joining the prayer team.
• Date change: The next Arise worship night is August 9. Worship will be led by Jordan Gaudet, Lizzy King, and Julie King. Please RSVP by emailing me at [email protected]. The first 30 people to register are welcome!

Time: 7 p.m.

Location: Lewisville, Texas

• Mark your calendars for three things coming soon from Arise:

September 1: a 40-day fast and devotional series

October 1: fall Arise luncheon

October 22-23: Midland Harvest Day

• My new book “Revivalist Arise” will be available August 1 on Amazon. Be prepared to get your copy in preparation for our 40 days together beginning September 1!