Without The Mold

“Ah!” I sigh as my memory reminds me of an unfinished task I forgot to do before slipping under my cozy covers. “Oh yeah, you just have to love retainers” I say, instantly trying to justify my laziness. “Just do it tomorrow night, everything will be okay without them tonight.” I keep telling myself. But then I recall the words of my good orthodontist… “You must live within these molds everyday of your life or else your teeth with almost instantly revert to the crooked state they were first in.” But, I try and tuck the criticalness of this matter in a safe place for the night as I close my eyes and drift to that distant land in my dreams. Awakening the next morning I go to brush my teeth, and as my heavy eyes fall upon the cup with which are inscribed “BUDDY’S RETAINER CUP!! DO NOT THROW AWAY!!!” I smile, taking a glance of the honesty of my fried chicken eaters. “Well see there!” I mention under my breath, “My teeth have not moved at all! I knew I could make it without them a night or two.” So with my newfound discovery I relax and go about my day unhampered by the small duty of wearing the mold. A few days later, totally forgetting the crucial matter of my retainers, I find myself once more looking in the mirror at my teeth. Only this time I see some shifting and movement that has taken place. “Wow! It was only a few days without the mold!” I remark. “I never knew teeth would go back to how they were previously so swiftly. I must keep these teeth in the mold.”

Beloved, does this resemble any spiritual matter to you? When we live outside the mold of Christ we truly are living in the mold of flesh. Salvation is a daily process of continually being brought in the Spirit to the total Image of Christ Jesus. We must allow the Holy Spirit to conform our lives to the Life of Christ by wrapping ourselves totally in Him. The Lord will do all of the conforming as long as we just wear the mold. A living relationship with Christ is all about being molded into His Image. Do not go today without allowing the Holy Spirit to fulfill His work in you of bringing your life better into the Life of Christ. Do not forget that just a few days of a small forsaken duty will result in a sliding back. Do not try to make a life without the mold.