I was about ready to throw it down on the floor and, hopefully, do enough damage I could convince my wife we would have to buy a new computer. I was tired of all the pop-ups, the unwanted intrusions that kept me from getting to the sites I wanted to view, and having to divert my eyes from all the women that wanted to date me. The worse thing was when, in the middle of writing, or reviewing and responding to e-mails, or checking out other's websites, internet explorer was shutting itself down. Of course, it promised to submit a report, but I had yet to hear a response to the previous 50 or so that had already been sent. So, I wasn't too hopeful the problem would ever be fixed.
I couldn't tell you how all this confusion had become a part of my life, I blame my son who was constantly playing a game, building things out of blocks of something, or looking up new weapons to add to his virtual collection, or checking out prices on things that we had already told him were too expensive for us to buy for his birthday. Anyway, there was only one solution, my computer needed a tune-up. I think they called it cleaning, but that is unimportant. It just needed to be done...and fast; before I had to join my own anger management support group!
So, I took it to the "nerds," at the local computer and electronic store and was ready for them to work their magic. They assured me they could do the job...for $200! Ouch!! I knew we weren't far from being able to buy a new one for that (obviously, I don't buy expensive computers; which may be the real reason I had this problem). The alternative, do it yourself. The kid behind the counter advised me I could take the computer back to its original condition in just a few easy steps. I thought he was going to suggest it would only cost me $19.99, but it wasn't going to cost me anything.
So, I bravely and confidently went home and asked my wife to do it. I told her it would only take a few easy steps, that the kid behind the counter had said so, and he seemed to know what he was talking about; and with that she went to work.
It reminds me of what the Lord has to do with us at times. Sometimes we think that spiritual transformation is the Lord coming along and blessing what is good and helping us to do better. I have heard myself praying that before, "God, please help me to do better." God's goal for us is not to make us better versions of what we have always been, He wants to completely transform us, to make us Christ-like. In Rom. 12:1-2, Paul writes that we are to be "transformed." The Greek word is metamorphaomai, obviously from where we get the word for metamorphosis, the changing of the caterpillar to the butterfly. That process is not the making of a more beautiful caterpillar, it is the creation of almost a new being; and, that is the work God wants to do in us.
God wants to transform us, and He has to strip us of ourselves and make us into a new creature. He, literally, needs to start from scratch. There really isn't anything good about us when we first give ourselves to Him. I imagine His biggest frustration is that we cling to what we consider "good" about ourselves; but, as Isaiah wrote, even "our righteous acts are like filthy rags (64:6)." We need to be willing to let go of even what others may say is of value, what has brought us "success" in the past, or what we have always considered of value, surrender it all, let it go, and be willing to allow God to create the "new man." And, I am sorry, but your wife can't do this one for you.
Godspeed, Phil
I couldn't tell you how all this confusion had become a part of my life, I blame my son who was constantly playing a game, building things out of blocks of something, or looking up new weapons to add to his virtual collection, or checking out prices on things that we had already told him were too expensive for us to buy for his birthday. Anyway, there was only one solution, my computer needed a tune-up. I think they called it cleaning, but that is unimportant. It just needed to be done...and fast; before I had to join my own anger management support group!
So, I took it to the "nerds," at the local computer and electronic store and was ready for them to work their magic. They assured me they could do the job...for $200! Ouch!! I knew we weren't far from being able to buy a new one for that (obviously, I don't buy expensive computers; which may be the real reason I had this problem). The alternative, do it yourself. The kid behind the counter advised me I could take the computer back to its original condition in just a few easy steps. I thought he was going to suggest it would only cost me $19.99, but it wasn't going to cost me anything.
So, I bravely and confidently went home and asked my wife to do it. I told her it would only take a few easy steps, that the kid behind the counter had said so, and he seemed to know what he was talking about; and with that she went to work.
It reminds me of what the Lord has to do with us at times. Sometimes we think that spiritual transformation is the Lord coming along and blessing what is good and helping us to do better. I have heard myself praying that before, "God, please help me to do better." God's goal for us is not to make us better versions of what we have always been, He wants to completely transform us, to make us Christ-like. In Rom. 12:1-2, Paul writes that we are to be "transformed." The Greek word is metamorphaomai, obviously from where we get the word for metamorphosis, the changing of the caterpillar to the butterfly. That process is not the making of a more beautiful caterpillar, it is the creation of almost a new being; and, that is the work God wants to do in us.
God wants to transform us, and He has to strip us of ourselves and make us into a new creature. He, literally, needs to start from scratch. There really isn't anything good about us when we first give ourselves to Him. I imagine His biggest frustration is that we cling to what we consider "good" about ourselves; but, as Isaiah wrote, even "our righteous acts are like filthy rags (64:6)." We need to be willing to let go of even what others may say is of value, what has brought us "success" in the past, or what we have always considered of value, surrender it all, let it go, and be willing to allow God to create the "new man." And, I am sorry, but your wife can't do this one for you.
Godspeed, Phil
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