May’s family service looked at the topic of ‘Transformation.’ Often, when we think of this, we think of makeovers or losing weight or changing our appearances:
If we’re mathematically inclined, we might think of rotation or reflection or translation:
However, in spiritual terms, transformation comes from the Greek work ‘metamorphosis’ (‘meta’ means ‘change’ and ‘morphe’ means ‘form’) and involves real change in us. This kind of change is described in 2 Cor 3:12-18, looking back to Ex 34:29-35, when Moses’s face was radiant and dazzling from being in the presence of God. Paul reminds us that any glory Moses knew is as nothing compared to the glory of the new covenant, where all barriers to God have been removed and we can boldly enter His presence (see Heb 10:19-20). Because of this, we realise that as we spend time in God’s presence, He wants to transform us into His image, recreating the image of God in man which was spoilt when sin first entered the world (see Rom 5:17-19, Rom 8:28-29). Such a transformation is an ongoing process which will only be completed when we see Jesus face to face (see 1 John 3:1-2), but we can be sure that God not only starts this work, He is able to complete it! (Phil 1:6)