By Katy Mariotti

Inner Renewal

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.”
2 Corinthians 4:16 English Standard Version

On our recent vacation to the San Francisco area, we knew we wanted to go to the beach. Not being locals, I did a quick google search to find a beach that might have the things we were looking for: water that was gentle enough for our kids, nice sand, bathrooms, not too many people. I found one I thought looked nice, entered it into the GPS, and away we went.

When we arrived, I was immediately apprehensive. The “bathrooms” were three port-a-potties covered in graffiti and clearly not emptied or cleaned in who knows how long. We made our way down the long steps to the beach to discover this beach house. It was also covered in graffiti, (please don’t zoom in on the picture as I haven’t actually read what any of it says!), with rusting metal and chipped paint.

I felt on edge. I told my husband, “I don’t know what to do,” and he said, “we’re doing it.” This made me relax and start to really enjoy where we were. I could stare out into the bay and marvel at God’s creation. My son made friends with a friendly little girl from the nicest family and all the kids built a fort out of logs they found. My daughter collected as many seashells as she could. I put my feet in the water and ran my fingers through the sand.

The more I looked at the rusted-out building, the more I liked it. It was clearly old and interesting- it had a story to tell. My husband went exploring and told me later that he’d found a sign explaining that the beach house was about to undergo a couple-million-dollar renovation, and he’d seen a picture of it in the 1950s covered in happy beach-goers and surfers. I suddenly realized that it reminded me of a Gidget movie, like the ones my mom showed me when I was little.

Second Corinthians reminds us that we have an inner strength that comes from God. Like this building, our bodies slowly waste away through our lives. We physically wear things we’ve been through: scars, wrinkles, gray hair, back pain, stretch marks, and more and more. I am so grateful that I have a God who not only gives me inner renewal, but also looks at me and sees a child He loves and sent His Son for.  I pray for inner renewal for all of us, and for us to love others as God loves us, and see in them the inner beauty that God has blessed them with!

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado