Surrender and change

In the past couple of weeks, I’ve said several times that, “God accepts me just as I am, but He loves me too much to leave me that way.”

Chambers uses this verse to extract the same principle . . .

“Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.” (Matthew 5:26)

He points out that God is determined to make me pure and holy. He will not allow me to escape for one moment from the scrutiny of the Holy Spirit. This is true. When I first became a Christian, He began His work on me, but looking back, I can see so many ways that I resisted Him. Because He loves me, He didn’t give up. I was put into the prison of His purification process and will not escape that place until the job is done and I’ve ‘paid the last penny.’

From the human side, this seems unmerciful, unloving, but from God’s side it is just the opposite. What greater thing can the God of the universe do for me than transform me into the image of His Son? He wants me to be pure, spotless, undefiled. A huge part of that is recognizing how deeply I’ve clung to that sinful core of wanting my right to myself instead of yielding everything to Him.

A well-known Bible teacher said that we are so foolish to resist change because “change is our destiny.” Being willing to have God change my life is an important part of Christian living, and He is the only one who can make those changes.

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” (Romans 8:28–29)

God has determined that I will be conformed or changed into the likeness of Jesus Christ. This is the highest calling. It means having my attitudes and disposition changed so that I am in right relationship to Him and to others. Chambers says that God “will tax the last limit of the universe to help you take the right road.”

Should anyone think otherwise, get on your knees and ask God to make you the person He wants you to be — then duck. He will not only tax the last limit of the universe; He will tax the last limit of all resistance. He knows all about each human heart and exactly what to do to reverse resistance and change pride to meekness and humility.

Actually, the only way to win a fight with God is to lose it — by submitting to Him in every area and part of life. He does this because He loves me. The best way to show my love for Him is by cooperating with Him as He works out His exalted purpose for me.