Good morning…

Last night, I went to the theater with a friend to see the movie “War Room.” I have never witnessed the transforming power of God on the big screen in such a bold, undeniable way. The life change, especially in the main male character, astounded me. I marveled at where he began, closed off and cocky, how he was led, through broken, tear-streaked surrender, and who he became, a catalyst for the joy and the love multiplying mightily in his family. Though I had to endure some sappy, made-for-movie moments and wade through some theology that is frankly not my own, this movie gives a great glimpse of God at work in the life of a flawed, ordinary family, a flawed, ordinary family much like mine and yours.

“War Room” begs this question, “If God can transform these movie characters in two hours, might God’s power gradually transform me?”

I am led back to a paragraph I read aloud in class this week: “Jesus is not primarily a teacher of information or morals. His teachings go much deeper than that. He is a teacher of a way or a path that leads to change and transformation and a new heart brought about by a surrendered life deeply centered in God. Jesus challenges us to abandon the wide, easy path of conventional wisdom and embark on the long, difficult, and narrow path of divine wisdom that leads those of us who choose to follow away from temporal values centered on ourselves toward eternal values centered in God. He is always lovingly and compassionately inviting His followers to a different way of seeing and living,” (p. 23, The Hidden Life: Revelations from a Holy Journey).

A way that leads to change and transformation. A new heart, a surrendered life deeply centered on God. Abandoning the wide, easy path of conventional wisdom. Embarking on the narrow, difficult path of divine wisdom. Jesus hand-writes our name on a personal invitation: “See and live differently.”

Do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you], Romans 12:2 (AMP),

Sue