Sunday, October 30

Spiritual Formation, Day 30

I spent a lot of this weekend on college campuses, visiting one son at Duke University and another at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Suddenly it hit me: when I'm on a college campus these days, it's as a parent, not as a student.

I don't feel old enough to have two kids in college, but a quick look in the mirror confirms that I am. Grey hairs and wrinkles don't lie.

All those myths about the fountain of youth are just that: myths. Time marches on, and we all get older.


But that's one of the wonderful things about being a new creation in Christ. Read these wonderful words from II Corinthians 4:

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day" (II Corinthians 4:16, NIV).

Do you hear the triumph in those words? This is why we are interested in the formation of our spirits. Our hair turns grey; our skin wrinkles. Our physical bodies age and decay. But our spirits? They're eternal. The Spirit of the Lord works in us and renews our spirits day by day. There's no fountain of youth for our mortal bodies, but our spirits are renewed every day!

This is good news. Hear it and celebrate it.

"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit" (II Corinthians 3:17-18).

Together we pray:
Finish then, Thy new creation;
Pure and spotless let us be.
Let us see Thy great salvation
Perfectly restored in Thee.
Changed from glory into glory,
'Til in heaven we take our place--
'Til we cast our crowns before Thee,
Lost in wonder, love, and praise.

Charles Wesley


**I'm having a "Best of 31 Days" link party tomorrow! If you've written a 31-day series, please join and link up your favorite 31-Day post.**

1 comment:

  1. Ha! I laughed through most of this post, Richella. Sorry. Hear me out before you un-friend me! ;)
    I pulled out 8 WHITE hairs from my temple area before church (who knows how many white ones I have that I can't see!) and I sat for awhile looking through my wedding pictures yesterday. I pondered myself with my firm skin, big fat (blonde) hair, and a perfect tan. (The bikini picture made me really S-I-G-H.)
    But, I wasn't depressed or sad or even wishing I were young(er) again. Instead, I thanked God that my body is not WHO I am, in Him. That one day, this body will be changed and I will be eternal. Without time. With Him.
    So, when I saw your post just now, can you understand why I laughed?
    You understand.
    Have you heard this quote by C.S. Lewis? "You don't have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body."
    I can't wait to see what my soul looks like one day!!!!
    You???
    Love, me

    ReplyDelete

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