Changed

1 Thessalonians 1:4, 9-10 NLT

We know, dear brothers and sisters, that God loves you and has chosen you to be his own people.

... for they keep talking about the wonderful welcome you gave us and how you turned away from idols to serve the living and true God. And they speak of how you are looking forward to the coming of God’s Son from heaven—Jesus, whom God raised from the dead. He is the one who has rescued us from the terrors of the coming judgment.

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Pesto Change-O, The people who heard Paul tell about Jesus in the city of Thessalonica, we're changed! Their change reveals for us some sign posts of changes we can expect in us too.

But before you can delve right into how the Thessalonians were different we need to see the reason for the transformation.

God loves them. God chose them. Any real lasting significant metamorphosis must start and end with the love of God and his sovereign will. You can not do this on your own. Ultimately any positive lasting redemptive alteration to who you are must involve you experiencing God's love. Don't waste your time trying to change on your own. It will not end well. People will get hurt and you'll only make a mess of it.

So what kind of conversion can we expect when the love of God breaks into our view? How will we be changed?

Paul firstly commends their hospitable attitude of welcome. And this is a great evidence of change because it is godly. It isn't the normal run of the mill self centered way of being that we are all prone to. This is a reflection of God, who condescended to our level and welcomed is into his family. And you have to remember Paul was welcomed whilst he was telling these people they had to change.  He was telling the Thessalonians they were sinners and enemies of God. He was telling them they were destined for destruction. Paul's message was ineffect, "Turn or burn!" And the people of Thessalonica said come on over and tell us more, share our homes, eat our food!
Changed people accept the truth and welcome the messenger warmly.

Repentant people have done an about face.
Listen here! To follow Jesus you have to leave some things! It may not be the things you expected. It may not be the stereotypical things. BUT you WILL have to turn away from things.

But these things are insignificant when you focus on who you are turning to. You will be captivated by Jesus. The real character reformation is revealed when you are enthralled with the living God. When you can see that everything else you chased after was dead, temporal, unattainable, a lie, and unsatisfying! You'll leave behind the cold dead idols you once served to be embraced by the love of a living God.

But your focus will not be on the past. You will now look forward. You will have an expectancy. You will long for being with Jesus. You'll consider these days as short. You'll wonder everyday if this could be the day. You live life as with one eye to the sky. Even ten years will fly by because you've got an assurance that you'll be okay. Your future is secure. Like an expectant mother, or the young man picking up his date for the prom, you'll be full of expectation. It will fill you with hope. It will make the bad days,  the ill treatment, the dashed expectations, and the slight disappointments just fade into insignificance. What matters is you are safe from the wrath of God because you are on his side! You've changed. Everything is different. Living in the love of God is great!