“The instruction of the LORD is perfect, renewing one’s life;
the testimony of the LORD is trustworthy, making the inexperienced wise.”
Renewed: From the Inside Out . . .
I walk down the aisle of the grocery store, and the labels on various products call to me from the shelves:
Renew your youth!
Reduce those lines and wrinkles!
Look like a new-you in 3 easy steps!
I pick up one small jar. It says I could look ten years younger in just ten days. Imagine that.
But I place the little jar of promise back on the shelf and look for the milk aisle instead. The truth is, I’m okay with my age, and I’m okay with the lines around my eyes.
I earned every crease at my brow with every story I’ve lived.
Those stories make up who I am — wrinkles and all. And I wouldn’t trade my stories, my years, for anything. I’ve lived long enough now to see, how even the hard years — the ones I didn’t know I’d survive — God used every one of those experiences to bring me to a place of deep assurance and steadfast peace today.
Not that every circumstance turned out peachy. Not at all. But God showed Himself greater. And my trust in Him grew, even as the lines on my face lengthened. My journey with God has taught me that renewal really is possible, but it’s not the kind of renewal that’s promised in a store-bought product on a shelf.
God longs to meet us where we are so He can restore us to the one He made us to be.
This journey of authentic renewal begins with soul surrender, yielding to the majesty of the Almighty. And with each day, our hearts are renewed as we spend time with the Ancient of Days, who is both Matchless and Ageless.
When we come to the Word, with hands empty and hearts ready, the Lord renews us from the inside out.
God’s Word renews us, through and through.
It’s a promise. The kind of promise we can count on. God not only redeems our souls; He redeems our years too.
Denise,
Beautiful post! So true that God not only redeems our hearts and souls, he redeems “lost” years. There is no situation so grim that God can’t redeem it and bring beauty from the ashes. So thankful I/we have a God who is this merciful and loving. Joining with you in wearing my wrinkles as a badge of honor and reminder of God’s faithfulness!
Blessings,
Bev
Thank you for your words. “God not only redeems our souls; He redeems our years too.” I forget this. I let regret control me and squeeze out the joy that could be mind wondering, “What if?” Today I will rest in God’s pursuit. I will rest in His redemption of all the years.
The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure,
making wise the simple;
8 the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
Psalm 19: 7-8 describes renewal and restoration of my soul, my thoughts, my heart, my
eyes through God’s Word. Surrendering to the Lord and soaking in His Word restores me first through my soul…then permeates my thoughts, my heart and finally allows me to see my world and circumstances through His eyes. God’s Word is truly alive and powerful! Thank you for such an awesome reminder of God’s ability to renew us through His Word!
Thank you for sharing this with us on this Sunday morning. I especially loved the statement, “God longs to meet us where we are so He can restore us to the one He made us to be.” In the grocery store or wherever, He is with us just waiting for us to remember He is there and willing to help us become the people He created us to be. That is a powerful reminder. It is all about Him and His glory and that takes a lifetime to learn.
God Bless You!
Amy
The Ancient of Days is still altogether lovely, and even was so when there was no beauty about Him. When I was 24, people thought I was 10 or 12, at 54 and they say 35, that’s fine. He’s the only fountain of youth, He can renew it. If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, behold the Lord. The more you walk with Him, the more you shine.