Recently Brian and I took a Baltic cruise and had the opportunity to spend a day in St. Petersburg, Russia. The bus trip started with a trip to Peterhof Palace, and wrapped up with a stop at the Hermitage. Mid-day, we paused for a lunch stop. As the bus wove through the busy St. Petersburg streets, our view shifted from the historical, ornate, Eastern European architecture to the more modern Soviet-era apartment blocks. The entrance of the restaurant was rather nondescript:
Once inside, however, the stylish decor was a pleasant surprise:
And the food? Fresh and delicious!
This reminded me of the scripture in II Corinthians 2:7-13, that talks about us being "jars of clay," in a constant state of transformation by God. II Corinthians 2:16-18 (ESV) tells us: "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."
On the outside, our bodies will eventually show the weight of life's journeys: scars, wrinkles, gray hair. But if we follow God's lead in our lives, our Spirit will be renewed and transformed.
On the outside, our bodies will eventually show the weight of life's journeys: scars, wrinkles, gray hair. But if we follow God's lead in our lives, our Spirit will be renewed and transformed.