The Phil Files » transformation

Sprinter

phil — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 22:29:45 +0000

Welcome to the season of SPRINTER. Yes, we were in the season of Spring the last few days, when suddenly Old Man Winter re-invaded. Short sleeves and sweat gave way to rain and smoke up the chimney. It’s not less treasured as a time of reading and writing, but a bit confusing on the body and thermostat. The hardwoods have more buds today — probably due to the 80 degree days recently — but the temperature is having a hard time making it north of 40 degrees today. The rain is welcome, but the cold has a hard bite we could all do without. Seasons change, but not smoothly for most of us.

Transformation doesn’t come easily either. We’d like to have reality change with our intentions, but that isn’t the way life is. We point in the direction of a desired change, we lurch off in that direction with the help of the Holy Spirit, and God begins His work in us, but it is in fits in us. We trust that the needed change will come just as surely as the seasons do because of God’s work and our commitment. But we grow impatient with the invasion of past weaknesses and frustrated with stumbles we thought were past. We don’t want the return of Winter in the warmth of Spring!

When the chill of winter blasts us in the face afresh, rather than getting frustrated with the failure, let’s find a way to warm ourselves in the company of those who will both call us forward and also accompany us on the journey. And yes, SPRINTER will shed it’s cold and we will find ourselves in true Spring once more.

Yep, those are camo Crocs & I’m in my favorite writing position!

The Good Air

phil — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 23:23:31 +0000

Every once in awhile, I actually write something that makes me think. No, I don’t think it’s profound, but it does capture something I’ve wrestled with in my thoughts and emotions and finally get a handle to put those into words. As I email visited with someone about our struggle to leave behind past hurts and the brokenness that most of us carry, she used the act of breathing deeply as a metaphor for receiving grace and how it sometimes hurts to finally breathe good air. Somewhere in the give an take, the following thought came to me in words as I thought about the Holy Spirit as God’s Good Air:

We’re all just trying to learn to breathe good air, and when we do, we have to cough the crud we’ve been breathing for so long out of our lungs. Such is life in a fallen world when we get to breathe in the Wind of heaven. Here’s to The Good Air!

Like I said, it sure isn’t profound, but it was what was hung between emotions and thoughts that couldn’t be stated. Life filled by the Holy Spirit is at times both gloriously wonderful and also agonizingly painful. But the metamorphasis that takes place in us as we are on our way to become more like Jesus requires both — at least it does in me.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate [and reflect] the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever–increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:17-18)

So here’s to God’s gift of The Good Air!

Life in Motion

phil — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 02:27:03 +0000

Being in around Alaska this last week has reminded me of the dynamic, ever-moving, always changing, contantly in motion nature of life. This movement is necessary for life. Tides come and go, stirring the oceans and impacting our atmosphere with constant motion. Seasons change, the amount of daylight varies, temperatures shift and life is enhanced. Glaciers move, ice melts, rivers run and life is stirred. People move from region to another — for a variety of reasons and lives collide and life is changed.

Clearly, some things shouldn’t and mustn’t change. Jesus IS the same — yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8 NAS). But even in His steadfast love and mercy, the LORD is constantly bringing fresh surprises into the lives of His people (Lamentations 3:22-23 NRS). Renewal and transformation are the vital dynamics, the ever-moving and always changing, constantly in motion parts of a living walk with God — the are evidence of the Holy Spirit’s essential work of conforming us to Christ Being in around Alaska this last week has reminded me of the dynamic, ever-moving, always changing, contantly in motion nature of life. This movement is necessary for life. Tides come and go, stirring the oceans and impacting our atmosphere with constant motion. Seasons change, the amount of daylight varies, temperatures shift and life is enhanced. Glaciers move, ice melts, rivers run and life is stirred. People move from region to another — for a variety of reasons and lives collide and life is changed.

So the question comes to me … and to you as well:

What needs motion a d change in my life and what needs to be more centered on what is unchangeable?