I woke up in a bad
mood this morning. I'd had a fitful night's sleep and my bad back was sorer
and tighter than ever. My shoulder was starting to feel just as sore too. I
tried to stretch them out to no avail and stumbled into the bathroom. I
looked in the mirror and saw the pain on my face. I certainly wasn't looking
any younger either. My hair was now mostly gray and mostly gone on top. I
was getting more and more age spots on my face. My wrinkles were deeper than
ever. The enamel was worn out on my teeth. I'd recently had to get a
stronger pair of glasses. My skin was thinner. My toenails were thicker. My
prostrate was bigger. And to top it all off my hemorrhoids were hurting. I
griped to God about it all. "Why do our bodies start to wear out just when
we finally learn how to live?" I asked.
God in His infinite patience and unconditional
love answered me quite quickly. Suddenly, I felt this thought drop into my
mind, "The car you drive isn't as important as the person behind the wheel!"
I smiled at that because I'd had so many old, used cars in my life. They all
had "personality". They all had quirks, troubles, and problems. They all
required patience and repair. But they always got me where I was going.
Now that my body was
starting to wear down, rattle, and backfire God was reminding me that I
wasn't that body. I was the driver inside of it. I was the bright, shining
soul within. I was the spirit that was both ageless and eternal. And while
my car wasn't going to last forever, the driver was: "Our bodies are like
tents that we live in here on earth. But when these tents are destroyed, we
know that God will give each of us a place to live. These homes will not be
buildings that someone has made, but they are in heaven and will last
forever." (2 Cor. 5:1 CEV)
Take good care of this body you drive around then.
Nurture it. Keep it in good repair. Make it last as long as you can. But
always remember it isn't you. You are the person behind the wheel. You are
the loving soul within. You are the Child of God destined for eternal life.
Joseph J. Mazzella
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
everyone to look towards Jesus as the source of all the solutions to our
problems. It contains a daily inspirational story, a Bible verse and encouraging
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The Nugget: Published three times a week, this newsletter features inspirational devotionals and mini-sermons dedicated to drawing mankind closer to each other and to Christ.