Often I hear a word that I don’t think anyone really likes. That word is “change.” We have been through, and still face, a lot of changes. We did not expect or plan those changes, but they affected us. I wear a mask, but do not like it. I want to meet friends, but times have changed. I am not able to shake hands and give a hearty pat on the back. I miss hugging our children and grandchildren. I did not like the change of having church at home in front of my computer. While many of us do not like the changes, not all changes are bad. Really, for the Christian, our lives should be changing all the time. God made us in His image. That perfect image changed because of sin. My soul is saved, but my body will not be changed until the Lord returns. The Word of God is transforming me (Rom. 12:1-2) until my final change (1 Cor. 15:51).
When I first started in Deaf ministry, I did many things that would embarrass me today. I had to change many things to the language and culture of the Deaf. I had to change from my old ways to new ways. As I changed from my old signs to new methods of Sign Language, it changed me. I learned that many of the newer signs were better than my old signs. Change is not always bad. Really, as Christians we are supposed to be changing. If you are not changing as a Christian, you are not walking with God. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” We continually put off the old and put on the new. We need to say, “Goodbye,” to some old ways and say, “Hello,” to new ways. So … while I don’t really like change, I love it when some of my “old things” leave and are replaced with “new things” for God. What “new things” is God putting in your life to change you for your good and His glory? Change is God’s process to make us like Christ. God is still working on me!
