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Transformers
09 - Metamorphosis: The Way of Transformation
Church on the Park | Sunday, 24 OCT 2021 | Glen Gerhauser
Text: “Moreover David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, for all the people were embittered, each one because of his sons and his daughters.
But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God” (1 Sam.
30:6, NASB).
וַיִּתְחַזֵּ֣ק דָּוִ֔ד בַּיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהָֽיו
Theme: We are called to shape our environment rather than be shaped by it.
Intro: I find the story of David at Ziklag (Tseeq-lag) a great source of encouragement and hope.
It’s not the first time I’ve shared about it, and I’m sure it won’t be my last.
This week the Lord brought me to this passage when my spirit was weighed down and discouraged.
Here’s the story in a nutshell: the situation for David was very bleak, but David transformed it.
And he transformed it through the Lord.
The Amalekites raided David’s Ziklag base, burning it with fire and stealing their wives, children and possessions.
The people were so mad at David they were ready to stone him…‘But.’
The second sentence of 1 Samuel 30:6 reveals the pivoting point.
It’s four simple words in Hebrew and a few more words in English.
Literally, “And David strengthened [chazaq] himself in Yahweh his God.”
1) The first step to transforming your situation is finding your strength in God (1 Samuel 30:6; Ps 84:5-7).
The Kingdom works from the inside out.
At first, God saves us, even though there is nothing in us to merit salvation.
“There is no good thing within us” (Rom.
7:18).
But then, he planted his Kingdom within us.
Now you have to learn how to bring the Kingdom within you into your environment.
God’s salvation is not always going to come from the outside.
Often, it comes from the inside of you and works out into the world.
You are called to be a transformer.
This is a difficult calling because people and environments don’t change easily––it takes a fighting spirit.
In science and science-fiction, there is something called terraforming.
Terraforming is changing the environment of a planet so that it’s inhabitable by human beings.
You take a desert-like, uninhabitable environment and transform it.
It’s like what Israel has done through its Kibbutzim, transforming the desert into fertile land.
Let’s say, for example, that we were to start a settlement on Mars.
We’d have to transform the environment so we could live on it.
We may erect a massive dome so that we can regulate the environment.
Then we would try to put soil down and plant trees.
This would help oxygenate the greenhouse-like dome.
The whole goal is to make a life-giving ecosystem.
We are called to do the same thing as believers: make a desert into a fertile, life-giving environment.
For us, the key to being transformers is finding our strength and encouragement in God.
It’s about renewing and restoring the life within so that we can minister out of God’s life.
2) The Psalms – especially Psalm 23 – show how David found strength in Yahweh (Psalm 23).
Recently, the Holy Spirit led me to meditate on Psalm 23 and write a fresh poetic translation.
I did this for myself to be grounded in the Shepherd’s care, but then the Holy Spirit moved me to make it into an infographic to share with others.
And I’m grateful today to have it printed out and be able to share it with you.
[Pass out and share about Psalm 23]
This week the Lord has been giving me visions, and one of them relates to Psalm 23.
Here’s some of it from my journal on 22 OCT 2021:
“I see dancing and singing and joy up in the sky, in heaven.
People dancing and rejoicing––and as I see it, I’m happy with tears.
Then the Lord says, ‘People need my hope, Glen.
Hope strengthens.
Hope renews.
Hope restores.
‘Hope is not merely about the future––it’s about now.
Seeing who I am right now and what I am presently doing––that’s hope.
Then, in the vision, I said, ‘There are people, they’re dancing and happy.
Why are they happy?
The Lord responded, “Because they have run their race and finished their course.”
[There was more that he said, but I will save it for a later time.]
Then I saw the Lord in a valley.
A very straight path was before us.
The sun was shining, and the air was cool and pleasant.
Like a waiter, the Lord takes out a white table cloth.
He rustles it out, waving it in the wind.
Then, he drapes it over his table.
He invites us to sit down, saying, “Rest a little while, for the journey is too much on you.”
Then, he pulls out a bottle of new wine, pours it into silver chalices and serves us matzah bread.
Alongside us, in the rolling hills, are mockers and troublemakers.
They are making fun of us and hurling rocks.
But as we eat, he shields us like a supernatural dome.
He shields our bodies and our souls.
He packs up his picnic, and then I see him in the distance, as well as at the same time, besides me.
There he is at the end of the path, the straight path, cheering me on.
He calls, “You can make it, Glen.
I am with you.
You have much to see and do.
You can make it.
We are waiting for you.”
He shines like a bright sun with radiant white garments.
A smile is on his face, love in his eyes and warmth in his voice.
I’d encourage you to put your name in this vision.
I believe it’s encouragement for all of us.
3) Entering into the Lord’s rest is the only way to usher in his transformation (Ps 84).
There are two ways we can try to bring transformation.
One is to force it through our own strength, and the other is to minister transformation out of the Lord’s peace.
In the vision, I saw people making peace.
“I see people making peace.
They are shaking hands, hugging, helping one another and washing one another’s feet.”
At this time, the Lord said to me, “Rest is the only way to usher in my transformation.
For your inside must be still and quiet to minister my shalom on earth.
A peacemaker is one who knows my peace and ministers out of my peace.”
He also said to me, “By not spending time with me, my people are missing out on so much of what I want to show them and give to them.
Take a little time to be with me, to rest in my presence.
Let me be your shepherd.”
Conclusion: This week practice encouraging and strengthening yourself in the Lord.
ENDNOTES
1 Samuel 30:6b
וַיִּתְחַזֵּ֣ק דָּוִ֔ד בַּיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהָֽיו
חזק
: MHb.2 be strong, MHb.1 hif. to possess, hold, JArm.g Syr. to bind on tightly, gird on, JArm.t etpa.
and JArm.b af. to hold, Arb.
ḫazaqa to tie up; ?
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