Transformed

Jesus sees our hearts, including those places of fear, loneliness, doubt and insecurity that we strive to keep hidden from the world. Jesus sees beyond our sin to the places of brokenness, to the wounds that need to be healed before we are set free from the behaviors. Jesus meets us in our messiness to offer healing, acceptance and invites us to live with purpose!

Jesus was kind and gracious to those who others rejected or judged. Jesus invited tax collectors, fishermen and broken, ordinary sinners to follow him and to serve alongside of him. Jesus’ inclusion of the excluded reminds us that Jesus invites us to follow and serve alongside of him. Jesus also challenges us to be like him by including those that others might reject, judge or exclude.

When we experience and come to know the love of Jesus – it changes us in ways we could never change ourselves. As people who have been transformed by Jesus – how can we not express our gratitude? When we return to Jesus with thankful hearts, we will discover this too is transformational.

The gospels are filled with stories of ordinary people who were healed in extraordinary ways by Jesus. Every story reminds us that Jesus is still at work healing the hearts and lives of ordinary people. Are you in need of physical, emotional, spiritual, or relational healing? Jesus loves us and can transform us with healing.

“Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world.” These are more than just words of a child’s song – these words reflect Jesus’ heart. Jesus welcomes all children with love and blessings. Jesus’ interactions with children remind us that we too will discover God’s kingdom when we have the faith of a child.

Time spent with Jesus results in a transformed heart and mind. Time spent with Jesus leads to new ways of seeing the world around us. Time spent with Jesus sets us free from old ways that cause harm. Time spent with Jesus changes us from the inside out. Zacchaeus may have been small in stature, but his life was transformed in BIG ways as a result of time spent with Jesus.