Formation and Tranformation

UV 1090/10,000 Formation and Transformation
Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

Isaiah 55 v 13




The Roman soldiers thought they were just having fun when they placed and pressed down a crown of thorns onto the head of the crucified Christ. But they were unwittingly fulfilling prophecy for those ten or so thorns that pierced His sinless brow and left some ten streams of sacred blood flowing down His face and hair were signs that the thorns that pierced the souls and minds of humanity would be removed forever. In His resurrection, He exchanged the thorns for a throne. The thorns are a symbol for the destiny of humanity. We hurt each other often for no reason simply because we are thorns by nature. We will burn like thorns in fire but for Christ taking the thorns upon Himself. The thorns are also the sinful desires of our heart that pierce us with many sorrows. They are the worries and anxieties that have grown in our minds causing us much angst, fear, insecurity and pain. He has taken away our crown of thorns and given us instead an eternal crown of joy.

Our destiny is transformed from being mere sources of pain to being grand creations of the Lord- the fir tree. ( Pic below) A fir tree is an image of majesty, glory and grandeur of the Creator. It endures severe winter as well as summer. It withstands heavy gales and storms. A myrtle tree is a beautiful plant with extremely beautiful and colourful flowers. These two images are used in the uni-verse to demonstrate that when we are grafted onto Christ by faith, we cease to be thorns, we cease to be affected by thorns and we become new creations- we are no longer associated with pain but with the strength of faith to endure all seasons and to be beautiful and majestic for the glory of God.

When we are tempted to reply to the barbed comments of colleagues and friends, we must remind ourselves,
“I am not a thorn. I am a fir tree known for its poise, majesty, stature and dignity. I am also a myrtle tree known for its fantastic flora.” When people thank, praise or flatter us, we should remind ourselves that it is Christ who took away our thorns. We are meant for the renown and fame of God and not our own. When those who threaten us say that they will cut us off, we need to affirm our faith, “ I am an everlasting sign of the grace and glory of Christ that cannot, shall not and will not be cut off.” Faith begins its good work in us by transforming not our self image- what we think of ourselves but our God-image: our image of God and God’s image of us or how He sees us. When we begin to see how He perceives us: as fir trees and myrtle trees and not thorns and briers, our lives are blessed for transformation. The first time God created us it was formation- we did not participate in it. The second time He re-creates us in His image- we participate in the process that is called transformation. Transformation turns sinners into winners, under-performers into over-achievers, the ugly into beautiful, the hopeless into the hopeful, the weak into the strong.


Prateep V Philip


new leadership and management concepts: God-image, Formation and Transformation