What Happened?

It was such a sad and disturbing sight- As I did my weekly ride with my buddies along the Canal Tow Path Saturday Morning we came upon something that has etched itself into my mind- an image that I may never forget. Coming toward us were 2 women- they were pushing a baby stroller- One of those heavy duty strollers that joggers use to push their children in when they go for a run. As we came closer to the women I began to make out what was in the stroller- It was........ well it was just wrong. In this stroller was what must have once been a beautiful regal animal- Full of strength and life and fierceness........ Yes an animal that had once commanded respect as it was approached- Now reduced to a Caricature of it's former self- something laughable. In the stroller being pushed along by 2 well meaning women was a Bulldog. Grand and Powerful at one time- Now the only thing missing was a little bonnett and bow.

What Happened? What happened that reduced this incredible awe- inspiring Beast to being pushed along in a baby stroller?

Genesis 1:27 So God created man in His own image- Male and Female He created them.

Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field.....

Genesis 3:23 So the Lord banished man from the Garden.......

What Happened to us- Us who were once declared to be made in the image of God. Reduced to sweating and groveling for whatever scraps of pleasure we can manage. What happened- How did it all go so wrong?

Romans 5:6 You see at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.......

Hope abides- We can yet be what we were made to be!

Romans 5:18 The result of the one trespass was condemnation........the Result of His one act of Righteousness was justification and Life.

Galatians 5 "It is for freedom Christ has set us Free!"

Can we go back? Can we reverse this aberration of the Lives we were meant for?

Oh Yes!

Thanks be to God who through our Lord Jesus Christ redeemed us from the clownishness of being pushed along in a baby carriage. Thanks be to God who has raised His Son from death to Life and who raises us to Life along with Him. Thanks be to God that He is restoring us as Sons and Daughters of a Great King- Fierce and Strong and Beautiful and Meek.

Let us then press forward to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus has taken hold of us.

Let us put aside the Caricatures of Men and Women we have become and rise up to Life!

Father God, Lord Jesus, King Jesus, Holy Spirit- Thank You for Restoration and Redemption. Thank You for not laughing at us- for not casting us aside, but instead reviving us to the Life You made us for. Spirit of the Living God move in me today to live as a son of the Most High King. Move in me to go forward boldly with Love and Grace and Healing that come from You so that Your Great Kingdom become a reality even in this fallen world.

Amen