Reconditioned or Renewed?

2nd Corinthians 4:16

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 

The most exciting part of my year happened today.  That is high-level Eads sarcasm because it was actually the day the reconditioned helmets were shipped back to us. Each year I ship about 250 football helmets to Pennsylvania to be cleaned, inspected, and to have broken parts replaced.  A huge truck pulled up to the equipment room around noon and I was able to find about 15 freshman boys who thought it was cool to climb into the back of a tractor trailer and unload boxes.  When the company reconditions the helmets they take all of the parts off the helmet, inspect each individual part, replace any that are worn, and put it all back together.  If anything is wrong or if the helmet is too old it is rejected.  The helmets that make the cut are shipped back to us for me to issue to the players.  The reconditioned helmets are always clean but, when I look closely, I can tell that the face mask has cuts from many hits and the shell has several imperfections. Thankfully the smell is gone but it will not take long for it to return!  The helmets look much better than they did the day after our season but they are far from perfect on the inside or the outside.  We will issue the helmets for spring training in a few days and everyone will begin with a clean helmet.  But, after a couple of days the smell will return, there will be several more cuts and dents, and they will look far from reconditioned.

I am glad God never just reconditions us.  Instead he takes us and makes us completely new and removes the scratches, cuts, dents, and imperfections.  He does not just clean us up a little and send us back into the battle.  In the verse from 2nd Corinthians we are reminded that our bodies are wasting away, but inwardly He will renew us each day.  As we wake up, we can ask Him to cleanse away the dirt and grime from the day before and He will make us new.  He will even remove the smell!  Each day will bring it’s own problems, dents, and scratches but He will return our hearts and minds to brand new. I prayed today for Him to make us new and to prepare us for the challenges of the day to come.  I also asked Him to continue to renew you all each day and to use you to change someone’s life forever.

Chad