A Story Of Transformation
Matthew 4 v 18-20
Jesus saw two brothers: Simon (later called Peter) and Andrew. They were fishermen, throwing their nets into the lake. It was their regular work. Jesus said to them, ‘Come with me. I’ll make a new kind of fisherman out of you. I’ll show you how to catch men and women instead of perch and bass.’
The transformation story is such a popular one; one that is supposed to amaze and inspire. Think, if you are old enough, Changing Rooms in the 90s, or more recently the nation’s PE teacher Joe Wicks. Both “brands” are all about the transformation – whether it’s your downstairs bathroom or health and fitness. Transformation stories do inspire me but equally they can depress or intimidate me. This week, I want to look at what transformation means not by Joe Wicks or Carol Smiley (google her if you are under 35 years old!) but by our Heavenly Father. Transformation so that we are becoming the person we were made for, the person who knows their identity, the person who is literally living their best life, as ordained not by social media nor the latest trends but by the one who really knows what that means, our Heavenly Father. Why does this transformation inspire me where others fail? Because it’s underpinned by grace; a grace that will never run out regardless of how long the transformation takes. Peter is our transformational model for this week. We think of him as “the Rock”, Jesus’ right hand disciple and one of the early evangelists in Acts. But Peter did not start there; he started as an unremarkable fisherman who said yes to the transformational power of Jesus. He came with his insecurities, his fears and his failures. He continued to fail and mess up but through the grace of God he became the person he had been created to be. That’s the transformation I want for my life.
Prayer — Lord thank you for your transformation power and amazing grace. I pray for an open heart today to see where you want to work in my life.
Libby Hubbard