Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
I don’t think I am the only one who has been impressed by the renovations that Grace Lutheran Church & School has been undergoing over the past year. The amazing work that has been done in Kramer Hall, the Cafeteria/Fellowship Hall, the Church Office, the School Office, the Early Education Office, the Library, and all the classrooms. Our building has been blessed by those who have put time, talent, and treasure into the ministry of Grace by supporting the physical building. Thank you to everyone who was involved!
Lately, it seems that my conversations have been led to the thought that Grace can’t just stop with the physical renovation. We need a “spiritual renovation” as well, to be restored and renewed by the love and presence of God.
In Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, we are told that our bodies are temples (Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. -1 Corinthians 6:19-20). A temple is not just one big room, but is made up of many. This applies to our bodies as well. Our body is made up of various rooms (our heart, our soul, our strength, and our mind) all in need of the renovating and refurbishing that our physical buildings need.
This is something that we cannot do for or by ourselves, but is the work of God. He sees the rooms that we have neglected or allowed to get cluttered in our life, and He knows how to fix it.
Renovations don’t just happen in an instant, they take time and effort. Often when you’re in the middle of a renovation, you wonder if you’ve bitten off more than you can chew. But in the end, it’s worth it.
How do we undergo a spiritual renovation? By using the proper tools. These tools include (but are not limited to) worship, being in God’s Word, sharing God’s love with others, showing the love of Christ to others, and praying. God is the one who is doing the work, and to know His plan we can’t just spend one hour a week with him.
We know that just like home or building renovations, spiritual renovations can look overwhelming and scary and often it’s hard to find a place to start. One of the greatest gifts that God has given us is the ability to be in conversation with Him. To be able to listen to His response to our questions through the Word. If you need help finding a starting place or if you want to talk more about the idea of spiritual renovations, I encourage you to come and talk with me, Pastor Loughran, or our Elders. God has gifted us a community to live and grow in. We are eager to share in these renovations with you, just as we have shared in the building renovations together.
Blessings and Love in Christ,
Deaconess Amanda
