“Merge…” (By Mel McGuire)

We have been learning at church about transitions, specifically about change. Transition is a good thing, and change is good because it represents growth.

As we grow from “glory to glory” we should be changing into something closer to the image of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. We should merge with his nature, character, and identity.

One of the images used to convey the necessity of transition is the idea of switching from one freeway to another. The transition road, that space of freeway in between the two freeways, is the time we are focused on.

What goes on during the transition, what is happening as we prepare to merge? Well, on a freeway, the first thing is that you must recognize that you have to get off of one freeway to get onto another.

There are signs indicating a change is coming up. You have to merge, usually to the right, slow down, and prepare to change directions.

Once you are on the transition road, you have the opportunity to slow down and prepare to rejoin the adjoining freeway which is headed in a new direction.

You must take heed of the speed and the level of congestion on the new freeway and plan to find a space where you can safely merge and then go with the “new flow”. Once on the transition, you really have no reason to think about the road you are leaving behind.

Transitions by design require you to pay attention to your speed and the signage tells you that your lane will end and you must merge with the traffic already on the path you are joining.

You are required to match your speed with theirs so that you are not a disrupting force as you merge. There are a few spiritual parallels here we should not ignore.

Are you recognizing the signs in your life that it is time to change freeways? Are you no longer making progress or realizing you are heading in the wrong direction? Have the methods that brought you success in the past coming up short? Are you left unsatisfied even when doing all you know to do? It is probably time to merge.

God has a new direction, some new traffic you must move among, and a new direction you must travel to get to the places He wants you to get to. From glory to glory.

During this season of transition, you need to slow down, look ahead and prepare to merge into the next thing He has for you.

Merging safely requires humility. You have to acknowledge that you are entering a new place and the old methods may need some adjusting.

You may have to pray more often, pray more purposefully, study the word instead of just reading it, worship a little longer, and be still a little longer. Pay attention to the people who have been on this path before you…and merge.

Forget about those people and situations who stayed on your prior freeway. Focus on the traffic and scenery of the new direction, knowing they bring you closer to your final destination.

Whether God moved you because of congestion or simply because it was time for a new direction.

If you take time to merge correctly, you will blend in and begin progressing towards your final destiny. Closer to God, more like Jesus, and going with His flow.

Your lane is running out, prepare to merge…

“Seasons”…(by Mel McGuire)

I live in sunny southern California. We are blessed with great weather and really do not have traditional seasons. We have our own seasons, fire, flood/mudslide, and flu, but those are not the traditional seasons.

I was in Bakersfield, a mere 100 miles away, for the holidays. It took me a day or two, but I noticed the leaves on the trees had changed colors, and there were a lot of leaves on the ground. It looked like a puzzle from my youth…it is the fall season.

I was struck by the beauty of the changing scenery because I do not see this transformation in the neighborhood in which I live or work. I have not really learned to appreciate the changing seasons because of where I live.

In other parts of the country, when it snows, we only see when there is a blizzard or ice storm, or record breaking hail. I am used to seeing the extremes of the seasons on television, but it doesn’t really impact my life.

It was during this brief time of reflection, I realized my life has seasons and I had just gone from one to another. Because nothing extreme had taken place, I did not notice it or appreciate it at first. It took me getting some perspective to recognize a new season in my life.

Where I live, we play most outdoor sports year round; the weather is that nice and consistent. I do not own true winter clothes and may or may not even own a working umbrella. Such has been my walk with the Lord recently…sunny and warm, all is calm.

But I have friends and family who live elsewhere, and they regularly experience the changing seasons. They tend to be more prepared, keep an umbrella in the car for instance, and have heavy winter clothes or a large collection of sweaters and gloves.

I think Christians who experience extreme conditions every now and then are the same way…more prepared, and less stressed by the changing seasons and events of life. I’ve been in Chicago in January…that is a different kind of cold. But it makes even a cold winter in Los Angeles seem mild by comparison.

Let’s learn to appreciate the changing seasons of our life. Your seasons may differ from mine, but we all have them, and they are constantly changing. It may be more difficult to see the signs of change, but they are there. The days grow shorter, the air is crisper, and the nights are colder. We make adjustments and we adapt.

What season are you in? Were you prepared for it? What is coming next? Are you preparing for it? While things are running smoothly in your walk, get ready for the next battle, for the next challenge, for the next season.

Don’t be fooled into thinking spring or summer will last forever…fall and winter must come. Get ready, for it’s THAT season now. Appreciate where you are for this too shall pass…it’s only for a season.