As an amateur woodworker, I’ve had a few occasions where I’ve needed to bend wood, and I’ve learned it’s no simple task. Some woods are more pliable than others, and “new wood” bends more easily than wood that has dried out over time. Wood fibers are held together by lignin, nature’s glue. When heat is applied, the lignin softens, allowing the wood to be reshaped. Once it cools, the lignin hardens again, and the wood holds its new form. Change is possible — but it requires the right conditions.
This idea of bending and transformation will guide our worship this Sunday as we stand at the threshold of a new year and close out the month of January. It’s no secret that what repeatedly enters and occupies our mind, eventually shapes our mind, and will ultimately express itself in what we do and who we become. But how does lasting change actually happen?
In Romans 12, Paul speaks of a renewal of the mind, while in John 3, Nicodemus struggles with Jesus’ invitation to be “born from above.” Together, these texts ask a searching question: Are we willing to be reshaped by God, or do we cling to the familiar even when it no longer gives life?
Join us for worship this Sunday as we explore what true transformation looks like — not as self-improvement, but as God’s renewing work in us. Worship services are at 8:30 & 10am. Live Streaming available at 10am.
Pr. Steve Trewartha
