This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 1 John 1:5-7
As mentioned in last month’s blog post, the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims is significant in many ways, including providing a venue for the coronation of almost all of France’s kings. Weathering wars and fires, Reims Cathedral has been rebuilt and repaired over the centuries into the magnificent church it is today.
The windows of this cathedral fascinate me. As mentioned in last month’s post, the artist Marc Chagall created three windows in the back or apse of the church. But those aren’t the only bright windows there.
Inside the dimly lit interior under the grandeur of the high, vaulted ceiling, I move through the quietness of this place toward the brilliant color at the other end of the main aisle. I notice windows that are dazzling in color, each a mosaic of geometric shapes. There are six of these enormous windows, three on either side of the Chagall stained glass. I’m intrigued. The colors are magnificent, but the back-story is compelling.
The town of Reims was a German target during three wars, including both World Wars. Much of the cathedral was destroyed by German bombs during World War I and was rebuilt by 1938. In 2011, to celebrate the 800th anniversary of Reims Cathedral, beautiful windows by the German artist Imi Knoebel were installed. Choosing a German artist was intentional. It was a sign of reconciliation between France and Germany and of the restoration of peace between them. During the celebration, the German minister for foreign affairs said that by installing these windows, a scar had been healed.
Taking in the rich colors with sunlight highlighting each hue, I ponder this act of reconciliation and restoration. In the quietness of this grand cathedral, I realize that before reconciliation and restoration are possible, there has to be redemption. Being redeemed by and forgiven through the blood of Christ reconciles us to God and restores our relationship with our Creator. Gazing on the central window designed by Chagall of Christ on the Cross, it all makes sense. Jesus died on a cross to redeem us, to pay the price for our sin (going our own way without God), and to reconcile us to God and restore our relationship with Him. The analogy can be taken further in terms of reconciling and restoring relationships with other people* and the obvious one staring at me from Knoebel’s windows – that of reconciling and restoring relations between nations. But it all begins at the Cross where Jesus paid the price for all of our wrongdoings, bad choices, and our rebellion against God and it’s the place where God forgave us.
In those quiet moments in that vast cathedral, God’s Spirit is palpable. The key verse for today speaks of walking in God’s light in order to fellowship with Him. If we claim we have fellowship with Him but we walk without Him into our day, without His light to shine before us, then we are missing out on sweet communion with God. When we fail to live as the redeemed people we truly are, our priorities often are turned upside down and our focus gets directed to the urgent, but not necessarily to the important. Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” Starting out each day with Scripture and prayer can provide the light we need to follow our Savior and to keep us centered in the fellowship of His presence. When we choose to walk in the light, our pace becomes intentional and focused. Our hearts can hear the whisper of God in the midst of the chaos swirling around us in our busy days. When our souls are restored, we can offer restoration to others when they see Jesus shining through us.
God’s light can shine through the windows of our souls when we come before the Cross. When we choose to walk in the light, our redeemed, reconciled, and restored souls become windows, like the windows in Reims Cathedral, to reflect the light of the Son. Every day we have a choice to make regarding how we will live. Which will you choose today?
God, words cannot express my gratitude to You for sending Your one and only Son to die a horrible death on a cross so that I can be reconciled to You. Help my actions display my gratitude as I point others to the Cross. May I live everyday as You intend me to live: redeemed, reconciled, and restored. Amen.
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Text and photographs copyright © 2019 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of Imi Knoebel’s stained-glass windows in the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims, France.
*Note: Abusive relationships are not necessarily candidates for reconciliation and restoration. While forgiveness is necessary to heal emotionally, to be restored back into an abusive relationship is harmful.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
A close-up of Knoebel’s stained glass:
As mentioned in last month’s blog post, the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims is significant in many ways, including providing a venue for the coronation of almost all of France’s kings. Weathering wars and fires, Reims Cathedral has been rebuilt and repaired over the centuries into the magnificent church it is today.
The windows of this cathedral fascinate me. As mentioned in last month’s post, the artist Marc Chagall created three windows in the back or apse of the church. But those aren’t the only bright windows there.
Inside the dimly lit interior under the grandeur of the high, vaulted ceiling, I move through the quietness of this place toward the brilliant color at the other end of the main aisle. I notice windows that are dazzling in color, each a mosaic of geometric shapes. There are six of these enormous windows, three on either side of the Chagall stained glass. I’m intrigued. The colors are magnificent, but the back-story is compelling.
The town of Reims was a German target during three wars, including both World Wars. Much of the cathedral was destroyed by German bombs during World War I and was rebuilt by 1938. In 2011, to celebrate the 800th anniversary of Reims Cathedral, beautiful windows by the German artist Imi Knoebel were installed. Choosing a German artist was intentional. It was a sign of reconciliation between France and Germany and of the restoration of peace between them. During the celebration, the German minister for foreign affairs said that by installing these windows, a scar had been healed.
Taking in the rich colors with sunlight highlighting each hue, I ponder this act of reconciliation and restoration. In the quietness of this grand cathedral, I realize that before reconciliation and restoration are possible, there has to be redemption. Being redeemed by and forgiven through the blood of Christ reconciles us to God and restores our relationship with our Creator. Gazing on the central window designed by Chagall of Christ on the Cross, it all makes sense. Jesus died on a cross to redeem us, to pay the price for our sin (going our own way without God), and to reconcile us to God and restore our relationship with Him. The analogy can be taken further in terms of reconciling and restoring relationships with other people* and the obvious one staring at me from Knoebel’s windows – that of reconciling and restoring relations between nations. But it all begins at the Cross where Jesus paid the price for all of our wrongdoings, bad choices, and our rebellion against God and it’s the place where God forgave us.
In those quiet moments in that vast cathedral, God’s Spirit is palpable. The key verse for today speaks of walking in God’s light in order to fellowship with Him. If we claim we have fellowship with Him but we walk without Him into our day, without His light to shine before us, then we are missing out on sweet communion with God. When we fail to live as the redeemed people we truly are, our priorities often are turned upside down and our focus gets directed to the urgent, but not necessarily to the important. Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” Starting out each day with Scripture and prayer can provide the light we need to follow our Savior and to keep us centered in the fellowship of His presence. When we choose to walk in the light, our pace becomes intentional and focused. Our hearts can hear the whisper of God in the midst of the chaos swirling around us in our busy days. When our souls are restored, we can offer restoration to others when they see Jesus shining through us.
God’s light can shine through the windows of our souls when we come before the Cross. When we choose to walk in the light, our redeemed, reconciled, and restored souls become windows, like the windows in Reims Cathedral, to reflect the light of the Son. Every day we have a choice to make regarding how we will live. Which will you choose today?
God, words cannot express my gratitude to You for sending Your one and only Son to die a horrible death on a cross so that I can be reconciled to You. Help my actions display my gratitude as I point others to the Cross. May I live everyday as You intend me to live: redeemed, reconciled, and restored. Amen.
Want to subscribe to future posts? Click here.
Text and photographs copyright © 2019 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of Imi Knoebel’s stained-glass windows in the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims, France.
*Note: Abusive relationships are not necessarily candidates for reconciliation and restoration. While forgiveness is necessary to heal emotionally, to be restored back into an abusive relationship is harmful.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
A close-up of Knoebel’s stained glass:
The vaulted ceiling in Reims Cathedral:
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