Let Jesus Change You

So, I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles [unbelievers] do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.

(Ephesians 4:17-18)

Meditation

As unbelievers, we want to think everything happening in the world, even though it’s not perfect, is at least normal. We’ve had to endure wars and other calamities throughout history so there’s nothing new about another conflict starting up somewhere in the world. Because there has always been theft, rape, and murder, why should we think there can be anything better? In our ignorance, we incorrectly believe there are no eternal consequences for poor choices and immoral behavior. In our old way of thinking, we are good people because we’re not as bad as many other people we know about. If we’ve ever heard of Jesus, we refuse to acknowledge his sovereignty over our lives because we don’t think we need him.

Our minds have become so accustomed to the atrocities happening around the world, we don’t even bat an eye in this country to the reality that nearly 65 million babies have been murdered in the womb since 1972. We are in such spiritual darkness that we’re more outraged at a lion being killed in Africa, or a gorilla being killed in a zoo than the millions of babies aborted here. We have substituted worshiping at the alter of our Lord with worshiping at the alter of choice. It’s actually a worship of self and what we want, when we want it. Our hearts are so hardened, we can’t see how far we’ve sunk into depravity.

However, even though we are wallowing in the filth of our own desires, Jesus is there to pull us out and cleanse us of every wicked thing we’ve ever done. Once we repent and turn to Christ, we must leave behind all that chained us to our sinful desires. If we do not, we will eventually be swallowed up by the same filthy pit that were cleansed from by the blood of Jesus. It’s far too dangerous to try and keep one foot in the sinful world without being pulled back in. Sometimes we try to justify not leaving our past lives behind by saying we’re going to try to save our unbelieving friends. We can do more for them by showing them a better and far more fun way to live and think.

We cannot tell our old friends about Jesus with a beer in one hand and a blunt in the other. If we’re standing neck deep in the muck and mire of our old lives, they will not see any difference in us, and their hearts will be hardened even more. They’ll know we are hypocrites. They are able to read us like a book. Make sure when they read us, they’re seeing the Bible working in our lives. We must stand on higher ground and focus the light of Jesus on their darkened lives. We may be some people’s only example of who Jesus is!

Prayer Time

Lord God in heaven, you are mighty and powerful and yet, you are loving and kind, full of mercy and grace. Not one of us can claim we are worthy of even the tiniest bit of your consideration because we chose to be separated from you. Before you saved us, we were constantly moving from one sinful thing to another, not realizing the penalty for any sin is eternal punishment. You would be fully within your right to leave us to our own destructive desires. Instead, your arms are open wide to forgive and restore us when we turn from our wicked ways. Thank you, Lord, for rescuing us from the spiritual darkness we have been living in. Remove the selfishness that has hardened our hearts for so long. Give us new hearts, filled with compassion for the unbelievers all around us. Never let us become complacent with the wickedness and evil we encounter but strive to shine the light of Jesus into the darkness. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen!