January 1

Written by Bill Grandi on January 1st, 2020

My title for this devotion is Transformation: Real vs Imagined.

What I’m about to write may cause you to question my maturity/sanity.  Maybe both!! 🙂  I like fantasy movies like the Back to the Future trilogy (my all-time favorite) and Lord of the Rings. One that my grandson got watching with him and is now one of my favorites are The Transformers. These shape-shifting cars and trucks are fascinating to me. (Told you my maturity and sanity would be called into question). On the way home yesterday from Ohio I saw a Hummer with two logos of Optimus Prime (OP) on his rear door and art work up front that highlighted him.  OP is the lead Autobot in their ongoing battle against the Decepticons. That is a good word since their whole deal is deceiving and acting like Autobots but always against them.

So what does my childlike (not childish) interest have to do with my real world? They are called Transformers because they “transform” from a car/truck to a fighting robot and then go back again to their original shape.  2 Cor. 5:17 says we are “new creations,” i.e. transformed. Romans 12:2 says we are not to be “conformed to this world but transformed by the renewing of our mind.” But Romans 8:29 also says we are “to be conformed to the image of His Son.” Transformed to be conformed.

Transformation is real when our greatest desire becomes the desire to be conformed to the image of Jesus. That is my prayer for this year. I don’t do resolutions. I don’t do “one word.” I want to have this hungering drive to be transformed in all ways so that I may be conformed to the image of Jesus.

“Father, make that my yearning this year. May that be what gets me up in the morning and let’s me lay my head down at night. Transform me to conform me.”

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In my post here I mentioned the tough decision I was having to make about whether to continue the “Shadow” blog. After reading some comments, and pondering and praying, I have decided to continue offering this blog. I have a selfish reason: I need it! I need the daily discipline to journal my Quiet Time thoughts. Second, Diane said it well. Numbers don’t really matter. I guess I ought to take it that as long as someone folks are reading and listening and learning, it would be good to continue it. I’m not sure I will post on the weekend unless I do a “Weekend Extra” type of thing.  But I will try (with God’s help) to present a devotion that helps you through your day. Thanks for caring enough to respond.  My prayer is that I will say something that will help you in your day.

 

9 Comments so far ↓

  1. Oh, Bill, I – along with your other readers – are blessed that our devotional is not going to be discontinued. We have much to glean from your transparency and words. I thank you sincerely.

    I love it: Transformed to be conformed! Yes, LORD, YES!

  2. Glynn says:

    My oldest son will be turning 40 this year, and he was a major fan of Transformers when he was a child. His three sons are also major fans of Transformers. And, I have to admit, love playing with those toys as well. There’s a lot to be said for transformation, and it crosses generations!

    Happy New Year, Bill – and I’m glad to see this continues!

  3. Ryan S. says:

    Though I discontinued my blog, I have found a continued benefit of gleaning off the wisdom from you as well as others. What better way to bring in the new year than with working toward the transformation you describe.

  4. I’m so glad you decided to continue with this blog, Bill! And I love your Transformer analogy here, too. I can still see my son playing with them for hours on end. 🙂
    And yes, we must be transformed in order to be conformed to the image of Jesus.
    Blessings!

    • Bill Grandi says:

      My girls were not into those kinds of toys, besides the fact they were out of the house by then. And my grandson was not yet born when the toys were prolific. However, the movies are a different story. 🙂 Glad you welcome me continuing.

  5. floyd says:

    That’s a scary mind! But you did make sense!

    Young at heart. That’s a wonderful gift from Above.