Christian Transformers

For all but a few of us, most New Year's resolutions get packed away with the last of the Christmas decorations (if we even bothered to make any resolutions!). The problem with most of our resolutions is that we resolve to make changes in our lifestyles, but miss restructuring our lives and changing the paradigms by which we live.
In the Gospel of Luke, we find the story about young Jesus which offers us an example of what might be the ultimate resolution: to declare that from this day forward we will “be about our Father's business.”
The ultimate New Year's resolution does not challenge us to cut fat grams, or quit smoking or get to aerobics class twice a week. The ultimate resolution a Christian can make is to live in the light of divine intentions, not human inventions. The New Year's resolution to end all resolutions is to make it our business to be a part of God's business.
What is God's business? God's business is transformation. An electrical transformer takes high voltage and transforms it into energy that we can use in our everyday lives. Without a transformer, there could be no light in the darkness, no safety in the storm.
In the movie Transformers,­­­ powerful alien robots camouflaged themselves as everyday earthly vehicles so they would not be recognized or stick out on this planet. Although they have gathered here to protect our planet, the concern of government officials is that some people will be terrified at the sight of them. Sadly, this causes them to live as less than they were made to be.
An interesting parallel exists when you think about our lives as Christians. Serving the One True God, we are equipped with strength, wisdom, perseverance, and even death is not the end of us; yet in our world today we are often pressured to live as less that we were made to be.
We are here as ambassadors of the Most High God to serve, love and teach so that we can live as one nation under God. Living under God is not a position of sub-servant slavery but one of freedom, safety and prosperity. Staying under God’s shadow of authority allows us to remain under His shadow of protection and provision.
At Bethlehem, God came to us and gave us Jesus the Christ, who transforms in His life the love and power of God into the impulses of grace and salvation that the world desperately needs.
By the power of the Holy Spirit that comes with receiving Christ, we also can transform the love and power of God into impulses of grace and salvation in our lives. Don’t stifle the Spirit! What do you like to do? What are you good at? What is your heart saying to you? What would you like to see happen? In the name of God, by the power of the Holy Spirit, claim it!
A fresh New Year lies unblemished before us. Our life, our commitment to the ultimate resolution of making our business be a part of God's business can help the love of God through Christ transform the world!
Don’t wait for the perfect moment; take the moment and make it perfect.