Have you seen those amazing transforming weight loss pictures of before and after? Weight Watchers, Quick Weight Loss, NutriSystem, etc. displays some awesome pictures, of before the use of their products and after the use of their products. They all show some astounding pictures as proof that their products work. We have many before and after pictures in our family photo albums. Sometimes we like to review our photo album, and compare the way we looked as a child, as a teenager, then adulthood. We will have the tendency to say orally or mentally, “Did I really look like that?”
The story of our lives, is like a photo album, with amazing, before and after pictures, and stories. Before, we were “saved”, and after, we were “saved”. We all use to be something, else. We all have a pass. Although, we are saved, we do mess-up and have had some slip-ups.
The Bible is filled of stories of people, just like you and me, who have messed-up, displaying, their before and after stories. King David triumphed over a lion, a bear, and a giant. God used him to lead His people. King David, was a man’s after God’s own heart. He messed-up and slipped up. There in Psalm 51, he lays his burdens at God’s feet. What did he do? He wanted what he could not have, so he stole, murdered, and lied. He turned to God, confessed and ask for forgiveness. God forgave him.
Apostle Paul gave his life to Jesus, who he loved. He preached the gospel and established churches. Saul, before he became Paul, was hateful, a persecutor of the Christians and also a murderer. Saul was a ruthless crusader on stopping the growth of Christianity at any cost. God revealed himself to Saul on Damascus Road and his life was changed forever. Apostle Paul was one of the greatest soldiers for Christ.
Moses had a troubling past before God called him to lead His people. When he was 40 years old, he saw an Egyptian taskmaster beating a Hebrew slave, so he killed him and buried him in the sand. Despite this murder, God used Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.
God has woven people into His plan, not by accident or coincidence, that have made mistakes that may have resulted into some larger than life moments and outcomes.
I have a past and so do you. As Christians, we all, “use-to-be,” something other that what we are today. Praise God for His amazing and wonderful transforming power. God loves his children, regardless of our sins, mistakes, mess-ups, setbacks, slip ups, our past, and our failing down. In those unfortunate moments, the Lord, taught us His great lessons, and He revealed, His will to us, along the way. It was an opportunity for us to see the power of the Most High God’s, forgiveness, grace, and mercy. Because of His love for us, we are not dealt with as we deserve. He had mercy on us, and He still does. Regardless of the sins that we committed, our punishment, was probably much lighter, than what we deserved. When I reflect on some of the things that I did, my punishment did not fit the sin. God showed absolute mercy toward me.
Because of His transforming power, through His Holy Spirit, He has transformed our inner self, to a newness and a likeness of Himself.
Before, we were in sin. After, we are saved, by grace. Now, there is nowhere for us to go, but ONWARD, FORWARD, and UPWARD, toward heaven.