2 Timothy 3:16-17 "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."
Last night I decided to make a pizza with the fresh pizza dough I had gotten at the grocery store last weekend. Who doesn't love the smell of fresh yeast dough? I spread the dough out on the pizza pan and began stretching it and shaping it to take the form of my pan but as I pulled and moved the dough around holes started surfacing. I would pinch and squeeze the holes closed and another one would pop up on the other side of the circle. My silly mind began to equate this process to the ongoing sanctification in our lives. God desires that we be holy as He is holy so after salvation He sets out to prune us and mold and make us into the creation that He intended for us to be in the first place. He allows the imperfections (the holes) to surface in our lives to make us aware that we need to change.
When we became a Believer in Christ and surrendered to His leading we essentially gave control of our lives to Him. And if you know Him, really know Him, you know that He specializes in the business of purification and transformation. I imagined these holes popping up in the dough as our sinful nature, those things that are not pleasing to the Lord. He loves us even though we have holes in our dough; however, He does not like the sin so He begins the purification process in us often one sin at a time to make us into His image.
He uses the Bible in this process to show us what is wrong in our lives or how we should live. The Bible describes itself in various ways. It calls itself a hammer, a sword, and a scalpel. Each of those tools are designed to make radical changes and I liken it to a rolling pin also, pressing us to conform to what He desires of us. God intends for the Bible to dramatically change our lives and reminds us that He is right there with us every step of the way. I know from experience that He will pinch and prod and purify and remold and He won't stop until He is ready to take us home. Yes, it hurts and I know it is not easy but this process is actually a beautiful picture of just how much God loves us. He is repulsed by sin and loves us enough not to leave us in the worldly state that we are in.
Are you being pressed and prodded right now? Is God asking you to take a look at a certain behavior or characteristic that He wants to help you change? Rest assured, my friend, This is a beautiful picture of His unfailing love!!!
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