Bible in a Year : Proverbs 1012; 2 Corinthians 4
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 2 Corinthians 4:16
The Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is a spectacular building. Its architecture is spellbinding, and its stained-glass windows and beautiful interior features are breathtaking. But after centuries of towering over the Paris landscape, it needed renovationwhich had begun when a devastating fire caused extensive damage to the glorious old building.
So the people who love this eight-century-old landmark are coming to its rescue. More than a billion dollars has been raised to restore the building. The stone structure must be shored up. The damaged interior and its prized artifacts need to be repaired. The effort is worthwhile, though, because for many this ancient cathedral stands as a symbol of hope.
Whats true of buildings is also true of us. Our bodies, like this old church, will eventually look a bit worse for wear! But as the apostle Paul explains, theres good news: while we might gradually lose the physical vibrancy of youth, the core of who we areour spiritual beingcan be continually renewed and growing (2 Corinthians 4:16).
As we make it our goal to please [the Lord] (5:9), relying on the Holy Spirit to fill and transform us (3:18; Ephesians 5:18), our spiritual growth need never stopno matter what our building looks like.
Where have you seen the Spirit renewing your spiritual being? How does the knowledge that our spiritual growth never stops inspire you?
God, thank You for Your Spirit renewing and transforming us. Please continue to give us the strength and courage to rest in You.
I was in Canada just outside of Prince George, BC on vacation.
The nice French Canadian lady who ran the B&B pulled me into the kitchen where the TV was on.
She kept me company all day and I was very grateful.
It took a couple days to get back across the border.
We stood up our Emergency Operations Center and prepared to respond to any nuclear, biological, chemical, or other attack while contacting all of the other military agencies in our vicinity. We even had an armed Rigid Raider patrol boat on the Potomac River to protect the water side of Quantico.
When I got off duty that evening and was heading north on Highway 95 I saw that an accident had just happened in front of me along the center median. The wrecked car had a news cameraman in the driver's seat and we opened the door for him and got him out of the car and laid him down on the grass to see where his injuries were and called 911. While we were talking to him, a young woman in a miniskirt came stumbling out of the woods along the median, injured and in shock - she had been thrown out of the car when it rolled and landed into some brush.
We treated her as well as we could until the ambulance got there - she was definitely more hurt than her cameraman. The cameraman said as he was loaded into the ambulance that "they will be on the news tonight". I told him that I didn't think so - the other events of that day were much more important.