By Ann Farabee

The reminders kept coming. I paid them no attention. As I walked in, employees would cheerfully say, “It’s time to renew!” It was something I needed to do. It was something I wanted to do. It was something I planned to do. Just not that day.

Oh, there could be benefits in renewing – physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. It would take exerting a little effort, though. I apparently was failing to make renewing a priority.

Then, one day, as I scanned my card to gain entrance. Nothing happened. My gym membership had reached the expiration date.

What? I had not renewed it in time? Yes, I knew about it, but I had been too busy!

More bad news. Since I had failed to renew on time – I had lost the best outcome – the lowest price!

This, however, was followed by good news, when I heard these words, “You have been faithful. We are going to waive that additional fee.”

Ahh – I love when grace and mercy are shown.

God’s Word tells us – and His Spirit reminds us – to renew. And renewing on time – is to our benefit. But, if we are late, He still makes provision for us, and may very well waive the additional fee!

Ready to renew?

Renew our mind – Romans 12:2 says for us not to conform to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. Transformed means dramatically changed. That is what renewing our minds will bring – a transformation from earthly minded to spiritually minded.

Renew our hope – Jeremiah 31:15-17 tells of Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted. The Lord told her to refrain from weeping, for her work would be rewarded, and that there was hope in the end that her children would come again to their own border. By the authority of Jesus in us…. we have hope. Not only for our children, but hope in all things – God has plans for us – plans to prosper us, not to harm us, and to give us hope and a future.

Renew our strength – Isaiah 40:31 tells us that if we wait upon the Lord, He will renew our strength. We will run and not be weary. We will walk and not faint. How is our strength renewed? You heard it right! The Lord renews it for us – all we have to do is wait.

The word ‘renew’ can be defined as resuming something after an interruption. Sometimes, it seems we tend to get interrupted from things of God – by things of the world. That can be a time when we may feel that our minds, our hope, and our strength – are about to expire.

God’s Word tells us differently:

Our mind can be renewed.

Our hope can be renewed.

Our strength can be renewed.

And… there is no expiration date.

Ann is a speaker and teacher. Contact her at annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com