Transferred But Still Needing to be Transformed
by David Cross
When a seabird is rescued from an oil slick and taken to a place of safety it would be foolish to think that the bird is immediately able to pursue life as its Maker intended. There’s a lot of cleaning and repair necessary before that bird can be said to have been restored.
Without doubt, its world has been radically changed from the pervasive blackness of the thick oil to the light and liberty of a new sanctuary. However, the transforming of that bird from being gripped by an environment of death to experiencing a new fullness of life often takes a considerable time, not least through the dedication of those who feel called to save such creatures.
Some would like to believe that, once God has transferred us from spiritual darkness to light, nothing of that former darkness or damage can remain to affect our new life in Christ. But, just like the seabird, we need the dedicated and gentle hands of our Saviour to gradually cleanse us and repair us from all the wounding sustained in the environment that we have thankfully left, the domain that is ruled by the god of this world.
This process, available for every one of His followers, is the precious healing and deliverance ministry of Jesus. For the bird it means being able to soar high into the sky again. For us it means being able to soar into the fullness of the destiny God had planned for us from the very moment of creation.
David Cross David is part of the Executive Leadership of Ellel Ministries, with particular responsibility for the Ellel centres in Western Europe. He is married to Denise and they have three grown up children and eight grandchildren. David has been a civil engineer and ski-touring instructor in the Highlands of Scotland. He is passionate about the teaching and practice of the healing and deliverance ministry of Jesus and has written several books: Soul Ties, Trapped by Control, God’s Covering, The Dangers of Alternative Ways to Healing(co-authored with John Berry), an A to Z Guide to the Healing Ministry, What`s Wrong with Human Rights? and, most recently, God`s Way out of Depression. You can follow a daily thought from David on Twitter: @dmcross62
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