New Birth – The Jesus Chick

Easton Zayde born 4.28.14

I arrived at the hospital a few nights ago about an hour and a half after the birth of my great-nephew Easton Zayde. I’d have made it before the birth, had I not stopped at Walmart to get Easton his very first birthday present, and my husband his 53^rd. They now share a birthday! I had stopped to pick up some fishing gear for David and was asking the assistance of a man who happened to meander into my aisle (not a clerk.) A few words into the conversation about which “Ugly Stick” I should buy, he mentioned the Lord. For those who don’t know such as myself, an Ugly Stick is a brand of fishin’ pole. But on with the story… thirty minutes later, after a bible study on end time events, I left the sporting goods department with an Ugly Stick and a high tech reel that has flashing lights and sounds, just what every Fireman needs I figured, and a new found friend in the faith who understood the miracle.

I finally made it to the hospital and was holding that beautiful little boy and I couldn’t help but think how much I already loved him. I’d just known him a few minutes and he’d done nothing other than arrive by the same means every other child does, through the miracle of birth, but he had my heart. I don’t want to make light of his experience, I could tell by his misshapen head (which will correct itself) and his desire to sleep, he’d had a pretty rough day. It wasn’t easy coming into this world; he’ll soon find out it’s not easy living in it either. Easton Zayde had no clue what a miracle he was. He was just glad to be in his mommy’s arms with a full tummy and a warm fuzzy blanket.

As Christians we sometimes live our lives forgetting that feeling of the miracle of salvation. We want to tie the word miracle to some event or happenstance that we’ve seen occur when everyday there’s a miracle in the mirror.

I looked at the joy on my niece’s face as she looked over every inch of that little boy. She was so proud! As well she should have been. It was then that I thought, “That’s how God looked at me the day of my salvation!”

“That’s my girl! He looked at me anew; always before I’d been covered by sin and unapproachable. But now I was His child, made new by the blood of His Son. And since that day He’s held me in His arms. I don’t understand why everyone cannot see the miracle of God at work in their lives; although I should because I was one of them until the age of 34 when I got saved. But even in Jesus’ day, when they witnessed in person miracle upon miracle there were those who chose to deny it was of God.

John 11:47

Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.

What they didn’t understand was they themselves were one of the miracles! The harshness of the world had taken away their reality of knowing Who God was.

Don’t let the harshness of the world deprive you of calling to remembrance that glorious day when Jesus saved your soul. And if you have a minute or two today, post in the little comment box at the top of the page what great thing God has done in your life. You never know how someone could be touched by you!

Grist Mill in the Winter, Babcock State Park, West Virginia

Photography credit: http://www.forestwander.com

I have for as long as I can remember, been proud to be a West Virginian. There are as many redneck and hillbilly jokes as ‘Carter’s got liver pills’; some I’ve laughed at, some made me nauseous, but very few have ever upset me. Most are told in good country fun and those that are not, are told in ignorance of the goodness of God that dwells in this place. I don’t think for a second that we are “Almost Heaven” because 1 Corinthians 2:9 says “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” Heaven’s way better than anything here on earth! But West Virginia does have one thing in common with Heaven… commonality.

Drive down practically any country road in West Virginia and ask for directions and you’ll likely get more information than you wanted! Not only will you get directions, but quite possibly a little family history, political insight or advice on the best place in town to eat. It’s our way. There are the occasional grumpy guss, elitist, or recluse but I can almost guarantee they’re a transplant from another State. It’s just not the nature of the people in rural (Country) West Virginia not to want to help. Yes there is the exception to the rule, for them, I apologize.

The story of Christmas is filled with country. Mary, a virgin girl from the city of Nazareth, who called herself a “handmaid,” meaning servant or voluntary slave (Luke 1:38) is visited by the angel Gabriel with the news that she is to carry in her womb, God. And following her most likely initial shock it says in verses 39-40, And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. There it is. Just good country people, Mary, Elisabeth and the country Preacher, Zacharias, willing to be used by God. He could have chosen anyone and most would have expected that the Messiah would surely come from a royal estate. But it’s apparent that God’s idea of royalty is unlike ours. He likes country!

And what about Joseph who would be the earthly father of the Christ child? A common carpenter, blue collar worker, although he was of the lineage of David. A man we know very little about, except his trade, and willingness to marry the mother of God, love the Son of God and deal with the stigma that was to come.

And then there were the shepherds, farm boys, who were the lowest of the low in the eyes of society in that day and God sends a host of angels to bring witness of the news of His Son’s birth to these unlikely men. A common thread woven into the Christmas story is common people just like you and I. God didn’t exclude royalty, the wise men received the same news and although it was much later they too were a part of the story of Christmas. No one is excluded from Christ’s story. And although it was a cast of common characters it was far from a common occurrence, it was a once in a lifetime, exclusive event that changed the world.

Jesus’ birth story brings home the message the God uses common, ordinary people to do extraordinary things then and now. God created each of us as a character in His story that continues to be the greatest ever told and each time a “new birth” occurs, at the time of someone’s salvation, the excitement level of that day in Bethlehem is still there and the desire to go and tell somebody! The song go tell it on the mountain scrolls across my mind and cheers my heart with the Christmas Spirit this morning.

I like country. I like common. I love Christ. Go tell somebody!

Tag: New Birth

The Miracle in the Mirror

John 11:47

What WV and Heaven have in Common