1 Corinthians 3:16 (New International Version)
Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and
that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?
Most of us have heard of Victor Hugo's novel, "The
Hunchback of Notre Dame" (Original title, "Notre Dame de
Paris"), and most of the rest of us know that Notre Dame de Paris is a
magnificent cathedral located in Paris. In fact, this cathedral is so famous that
if you wish to visit it, you have to stand in a long line just to enter! But
its beauty, both outside and in, is most definitely worth the wait.
"Notre Dame de Paris" can be directly
translated "Our Lady of Paris". Centrally located on the "Isle
de la Cité" (Island of the City), the cathedral is shrouded in history.
The Isle de la Cité used to be dominated by the Parisi Gauls, and was later
occupied by Jules Caesar's Roman soldiers in 52 B.C. Excavations on the Eastern
side of the island show that a pagan temple once stood there. This temple was
replaced in the 4th century by a large basilica known as "Saint
Stephens". Then in the mid twelfth century, under the reign of king Louis
VII, the bishop Maurice de Sully decided to build a more grandiose cathedral.
According to tradition, it was in 1163 AD that the first stones for Notre Dame
de Paris were laid. Major construction continued throughout the twelfth,
thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, and modifications even occurred during the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
Then came the French Revolution. Revolutionists did not
take kindly to the presence of this gracious lady in their midst, and they
destroyed its gallery of kings containing 28 statues, disassembled its 13th
century spire, and destroyed most of its portal statues. As a result, Notre
Dame de Paris lost its graciousness!
In 1831 however, Victor Hugo's publication of "The
Hunchback of Notre Dame" resulted in renewed interest to the cathedral.
Restorations projects were undertaken, and today the cathedral once again
stands in all of its glory.
Reflecting on history, I realize that I have a lot in
common with Notre Dame de Paris. I, too, used to be "pagan",
completely devoid of life, with my interests far from God. I, too, came to God
and accepted Him first as my Saviour. But I did not immediately accept Him as
my Master. It took many years, but little by little, my inner cathedral was
patiently constructed by my Master Designer.
God sure has been patient with each of us! We used to be
ruined material, but now we have become a temple of the living God.
If you feel like you are unworthy of the love of the One
who died on the cross for you, don't let yourself be deceived. Jesus loves you
very much. He will take you out of "the pit of destruction, out of the
miry clay" (Ps. 40:1), and transform your ruins into a beautiful cathedral
full of purpose. You, too, have the opportunity to make an impact in life, but
you will need to trust the One who has never disappointed anyone.
Today let us each join together in becoming a cathedral
that shines the light of the One who loved us. Remember He willingly died for
us and rose out of the grave on the third day, so that through Him we could be
reunited with Him for eternity! Hallelujah!
Dear Lord we thank You for making each of us a cathedral
to shine your light. We pray today that we would let you transform us into what
You would have for each of us. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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