The Big Day.

There are only 13 days until the Big Day.  You know what I’m talking about - the day we are all waiting for.

No, I haven’t made an error in my math.  It is 16 days until Christmas.  That’s not the day I’m talking about.  I am talking about the winter equinox - December 21 - when we begin to see an increasing amount of daylight in the sky.  It will only be a few seconds each day for a week or so, but then it quickly increases.  Within four weeks we will enjoy more than 2 minutes more of sunlight each day.  EACH DAY!  

You may have noticed that I am fascinated by celestial stuff.  The marvels of what is “out there” and the regularity with which the observable universe spins and rotates and functions boggles my mind.  A quick glance into the heavens may cause one to think nothing is happening.  However, careful observation over time - hours, days, weeks, months, and years reveal the clockwork majesty of the heavenly bodies.

Time and focus are essential tools for careful observation of change.  Granted, sometimes change is immediately observable like the sunrise or sunset.  Other types of change, like the equinoxes, or maturing in our ability to trust God, or being transformed in our character, takes time.

Let’s look at some case studies.  The Apostle Paul spent three years in study and being mentoring by Barnabas after his confrontation with Jesus on the road to Damascus.  Abraham waited 25 years for God’s promise to be fulfilled by Isaac, during which he kept making the same lack-of-faith mistakes.  The Apostle Peter, even though he experienced a remarkable forgiveness and reconciliation with Jesus after the resurrection, continued to struggle with the new nature of the church for more than 15 years afterwards.  We can’t know for certain how old Joseph was when his brothers sold him into Egyptian slavery.  It would appear decades passed while he learnt how to forgive them.

Change happens.  Frequently, change happens slowly.  Of course there are those traumatic, in-your-face (IYF) moments like when Saul was confronted by Jesus on the road to Damascus.  These moments usually mark the beginning of a transformational journey but seldom facilitate the entire necessary process.  The good news is that both the IYF moments and the slower, more tedious life-long processes are the work of the Spirit of God.  We can safely conclude, then, that change - however it may be processed - is part of a larger, beneficial plan of God.  Our heavenly Father isn’t an opportunist waiting to leverage just the right moment.  He is the sovereign Creator who, by the Holy Spirit, is at work constantly to renew us into the image of the One who Created us (Col. 3:9-10).

Generally speaking, the IYF events are unexpected interventions.  The slower, life-long process of transformation is at least partially dependent on our engagement with God.  In Colossians 3, Paul makes it clear there is a volitional element to our spiritual transformation.  He use the metaphor of  “put away” in verse 8.  This is the idea of taking off a coat or other piece of clothing, or setting down something that is being carried.  We choose to do that.  When I come inside from the cold I choose to take off my hat, gloves, boots and coat.  They don’t just magically slide off and put themselves away in the closet.  

Following after Jesus engages our volition.  We make choices.  At the same time, the Spirit of God is at work to do what we can’t do on our own - to produce love, joy, peace, patience, kindness goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Interestingly, Paul does not call these the “fruits” of the Spirit (plural), but rather the “fruit of the Spirit” (singular).  In other words, it is a wholistic and thorough transformational process which the Spirit works within us.

Like watching planetary movement - or watching paint dry - this fruit is the product of time.  We may not see much difference between 6 AM and 6 PM on any given day but we will observe change between 2010 and 2020.  We may even surprise ourselves with how change has happened.  We can be confident of this - as Paul says - that He who began this good work in us will bring it to completion.

Remember what is going to happen on the 21st.  It is a reminder of God’s faithfulness and and great illustration of His methods - sometimes slow, always in process, always for His purposes.