Purify My Heart ~ Jeremy Riddle
For those God foreknew he also predestined to be
conformed to the image of his Son… ~ Romans 8:29 NIV
Minutes before we were due to leave for our first
in-person life group in over two months, we received the phone call for help.
While I waited for Brad to return, I thought about how this was another lesson
in being flexible. Romans 8:29 says we were called to surrender our plans – and
our lives – the same way Jesus did.
Everywhere Jesus tried to go, crowds of people flocked to
Him, begging for help, (Matthew 8:1-2, 5; 9:32). Some even followed Jesus
indoors, still pleading for help, (Matthew 9:27-28). Even Jesus’ own disciples
woke Him, crying for help, (Matthew 8:23-25). While there were times that Jesus
challenged those who begged for help, asking, “Do you believe I can do this?” Never
once did Jesus refuse to help.
In Matthew 11:29, Jesus said to learn from Him by taking
up His yoke. A yoke is traditionally used by oxen, training the younger ones to
work together, or to set pace with those that control it. The same is true here.
If we take up the world’s yoke, we’ll conform to the world’s overwhelming and
selfish ways. But when we take up Jesus’ yoke, we begin to conform to His
image, pairing our footsteps and lives with His.
It’s never fun to drop everything—changing plans or letting
go of desires—to go another way. But when the way is Jesus’, He promises that
we will find rest and refreshment. To Whose image do you want to be conformed?
©Heather Potts 2020
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