Reversal of Destiny

http://www.turnbacktogod.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/u-turn.jpg

God is at work! He is at work in and through those of us who belong to him. We are his hands and feet , on earth.I have recently been part of a bible study where we are studying Esther with Beth Moore. The key main theme is - Reversal of Destiny. A complete turning around of the path of life that seems to be. Jesus is in the business of doing just this. In Esther , his plans of change are fit for a Queen, because that is what she is. Esther, the Queen is part of God's much bigger and more glorious story. His story of the redemption of mankind. Esther is but one part of this beautiful and strange story. A piece in his puzzle. In a way, we are also part of this big story. Jesus died on the cross to buy us FOR himself. He saved us from our sin and from having to experience his wrath and rightful judgement. He sets us apart FOR himself. At the right time he will call us home to be with him forever.

What of the life in between. What of this life, here on earth, while we live in the time between the cross and his return. What is this all about?

God is at work in us and through us.

We are his hands and his feet. He has given us good works to do. The good works are the ordinary things that cross our path as we live for him. Being a wife and mother for God is one good work; helping a friend might be another; taking a meal; listening; giving; sharing;opening a home; feeding the poor etc etc. Our good deeds all look different from one another. What fun!

this is the outer work.

The work through us. Being Jesus to others.

What about the inner work that God is doing.

He is also at work in us. This is called sanctification. It is the real and wonderfully good change that takes place inside of us. We are transformed first in our thinking. Jesus changes the way we think about him and ourselves. He is in the business of rewiring our brains so to speak. 

In fact, the brain is the one organ that can grow new neuron connections throughout a human life. What a joy!!

Change is real and able to happen on a nerve bases in our brains. Habits can change. Attitudes can change. thinking can change. Jesus and his word changes our thinking. 

We are changed first in our thinking and secondly in our very being. We are transformed from one degree of glory to another. There is a process of behavioural, attitude and thinking changes that happen. 

This is part of the reversal of fortune.

With our brain we decide to trust God and in our being we exercises trust. We step into that trust. As we exercises the 'thrust' muscle so the muscle develops. 

In stepping out into trusting Jesus he fashions trust within us. It is a ' us' and 'Jesus' at work picture.

Today someone at school said something to me that just spoke ' Reversal of Destiny' words to me. You see, 

given my history, my family life and my lack of any connection or understanding of who Jesus is and what he did - kind of childhood, well, my life was on a path. It had a destiny etched out for it. 

BUT

In my early 20's I met Jesus. He began his work in and through me. Some of that work has been very painful and difficult. Some still is. The key thing is he took me, picked me up, and placed me on the opposite path going in the opposite direction.

Reversal of Destiny.

Not only that , but he is building and growing our marriage and our family on a completely new and different path to the seeming destiny it all had. 

He has picked us up, dusted us off and put us on a totally different path going in a totally opposite direction.

Reversal of destiny.

Jesus continues to do this. 

I am praying that he will hold us there and continue to turn what seems to be the path into the unexpected. 

He is the God of ultimate Surprise!!