I had the privilege of visiting Seville, Spain last summer. One of the highlights of the trip was visiting the amazing Cathedral of Seville, the largest Gothic cathedral in the world. Inside the cathedral is the tomb of Christopher Columbus.
In 1492 when Columbus made his famous voyage, most people believed the world just ended somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean. The people of Spain were proud because they lived on the very edge of the world. The ancient coat of arms of the king of Spain had the words, "Ne Plus Ultra," which means, "There is no more beyond here."
But after the voyage of Columbus, it was clear that even more was beyond Spain's borders, so that statement was no longer true. When Charles V inherited the crown of Aragon and Castile, he struck out “ne,” and used the words “Plus Ultra” for the national motto.
The motto was used to encourage explorers from Spain to go beyond the Pillars of Hercules, to the New World.
What a wonderful thing it would be if that were our everyday attitude in life. To affirm, “There is more beyond here.” When we are discouraged, to believe that with God, all things are possible. “There is more beyond here.” When we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, to believe in life beyond the grave. “There is more beyond here.”
To believe in hope. To believe in possibilities. To trust in God.
The Apostle Paul wrote, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31) Jesus said, “With God, all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)
Today, let’s affirm “there is more beyond here.”