George Washington’s Mount Vernon August 2018
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV)
I love history, especially when I am able to visit places that I was only first introduced to through the pages of history in grade school.
I remember, during the summer of 2018, when my family was blessed to go to Washington, D.C. We had the pleasure of touring Mount Vernon, the family home of our first U.S. President–George Washington.
Before we could enter his house, we were waiting on the front porch–the very one that proudly and distinctly faces the Potomac River.
View of Potomac River from Mount Vernon, August 2018
I stepped out of line, walked to the very edge, and centered myself right at the end of the porch. I closed my eyes, silenced my inner thoughts, and imagined our first U.S. President, standing right where I was, pondering and thinking over leading the U.S. to victory in the American Revolutionary War.
The feeling was so surreal. I tried to absorb and imagine all of the conversations, dreams and family memories concealed in the walls of this 262 year old mansion. Oh, if those walls could talk!
In reality, I love historical buildings of any kind–whether they are in ghost towns, city centers, even old European castles and the grounds on which they are built.
However, the building’s are just physical pieces often made of wood, nails, plaster, etc. The “bones” or structure of the old building is usually kept the same, but the inside is updated and changed by the new owner.
In reality, the inside is the most important part, because this is where LIFE happens!
Relationships are formed.
Memories are made.
Lives are changed!
I believe the same thing happens when we turn over our lives to Jesus and inwardly He creates something new in us (2 Cor 5:17). Our physical bodies stay the same–our height doesn’t change, our nationality doesn’t change, and our gender doesn’t change.
What does change is the inside of us.
“As new creations, Christians share his glory (3:18) with a renewed knowledge of God (Col. 3:10) and a transformed way of thinking and behaving (Ro. 12:2) that begins to reflect God’s holiness (i.e. moral purity, spiritual wholeness, separation from evil and dedication to God’s purposes, Eph. 4:24)” (Fire Bible Commentary for 2 Cor. 5:17, page 2203).
How amazing is that!! As a Christian, you are brand new on the inside! The Holy Spirit gives you new life, and you are not the same anymore. “This is not a superficial change that will be quickly superseded by another novelty. This is an entirely new order of all creation under Christ’s authority. It requires a new way of looking at all people and all of creation” (2 Cor. 5:17 commentary, page 1967, NLT).
Wrapping this up, all of the feelings I felt at Mount Vernon had more to do with the people and relationships that I imagined in all of those rooms, and less about the physical presentations throughout the house.
Because the reality is this: the best things that happen in life occur on the inside. Whether it is in a house, a building, or each individual person. And the One that changes everything is Jesus!
My question to you is this: does your new life with Jesus reflect this new perspective? I pray it does because the love, life, and light in you has the ability to affect and shine in every relationship in your life! Everywhere you go: any house, any building, any castle in Europe!
All the glory to God,
Shanon
Works Cited:
Fire Bible: Global Study Edition. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Commentary. New International Version. Life Publishers International. 2009. Print.
Life Study Application Bible. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Commentary. New Living Translation. Second Edition. Tyndale House Publishers, INC. 1996. Print.
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