Living Where the Party Never Ends…
A number of years ago now we were at the Funfair, enjoying quality time with friends and family. We had fish and chips for supper and I was saving myself for the calorie infested, saturated fat laden, sugar drenched, hot donuts. We were settling in for a night of full on fun. Our two older boys had headed with our friends much older boys to the roller coaster whilst we adults were enjoying a good old chat. Suddenly all the lights went out, the Fayre rides came to a standstill, the hot donut machine stopped working, but worse than that, this Momma’s heart virtually stopped with the vision that then crossed my mind of my boys – my world – stranded at the top of a rollercoaster with no means of rescue! I got on the wrong train of thought and ended up at the wrong destination. Don’t we often do that and resort to Fear – the worst scenario – in every situation. It’s as though our minds are set to negative as it’s natural default. No wonder the Bible is full of dealing with the issues in our mind.
Romans 12:1 “Don’t be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
Stinking thinking is inherent in us. Just think of the grief and trauma we would save ourselves if we allowed God to switch our natural default in situations from negative and worst case scenario to positive and best case scenario. After all, that’s what God promised those whose trust and confidence is in Him. He says “we are the head and not the tail”, which means whatever we face in life we are coming out on top! We need God to transform our heads from ‘tail-like, bottom feeding’ thinking that has us drawn downwards with magnetic force rather than looking upwards, has us viewing life from an earthly rather than heavenly perspective and inevitably we end up acting like dogs chasing our own tail or headless chickens! Time to put our new ‘Head’ on, the Bible tells us that “Christ has been given as head of all things to the Church” : that is to you and I as believers. Have we truly put Him as the head of our lives, all our affairs and determined to recognise His rule and reign in every circumstance that crosses our path?
Anyway, back to me and my ‘headless chicken, dog chasing my own tail’ impression at the Fun Fayre…
I tried to walk calmly, appear under control although my heart was racing out of control and soon my feet followed its pace as I began running frantically in the direction of the rollercoaster – only to find my boys walking subdued and slowly towards me. As it transpired, they never made the ride and were devastated that their fun was cut short whilst waiting their turn in the queue.
All our plans were squashed, my hopes of donuts became nothing more than a pipe dream, our fun filled night came to an abrupt end. It seemed so wrong and unfair as we made our way out in the dark. The rain came and the Fayre as we had known it emptied and resembled a depressing ghost town, the drive home was eary too. The power cut plunged everywhere into darkness, mania was on the roads as traffic lights no longer worked and Great Yarmouth with its flashing bright Friday night lights and promise of fun ceased to exist! Silent, with a carfull of devastated children, we navigated through the pandemonium and darkness, finding our best route home!
In that moment God spoke to my heart. The beautiful, fun filled, and purposeful existence and world God created for us, His children, ceased to exist the moment that sin came in. Our party was cut short. Our power, the Holy Spirit, went out and we were plunged into darkness. Our connection between heaven and earth was seemingly gone forever.
We can read in Genesis how Adam and Eve had to leave the garden of Eden. Enjoyable purpose turned to endurable labour and work. Separation and death entered where God’s intention for us was to know only love, togetherness, and life. Relationship with our eternal Creator and Father was lost! Emptiness and hard cold religion was a poor replacement for intimate relationship as God had intended…
But wait…. God loved us too much to leave us in that state.
“For God so loved the world, He gave His only Son Jesus, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16.
What we lost in the Garden of Eden, Jesus regained for us at the cross. The power that went out from us was restored to us at Pentecost! To restore with God means to give back better than before. Because of Jesus and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit within us, we can once again live where the party never ends!
“He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the Kingdom of the son He loves!” Colossians 1:13
His beautiful light is shining brightly in the midst of a dark world today. The power once more is on and because of the Holy Spirit we can live life strong; because of the cross, whoever receives the love and forgiveness of Jesus can receive heaven’s divine exchange – God’s right instead of all our wrong!
God’s normal for our lives was a perfect world back in the Garden of Eden; a joyful, peaceful existence that we traded for the abnormality of sin, separation from God and living life our way! The good news is you can re-establish God’s ‘norm’ for your life today!
We are living in the days prophesied about thousands of years ago, way before Jesus came to earth and restored to us at the cross all that we lost in the garden of Eden!
‘And when I bring you back, people will say “this God forsaken land is now like Eden’s garden.”‘ Ezekiel 36:35
Here and now God is gently calling your name, reaching out to you in love and bringing you back to Him. I pray you will be able to look up to heaven and say with me and the words of Ezekiel “this God forsaken land that used to resemble my life is now like Eden’s Garden – once again I am living where the party never ends”.
OPTIONAL PRAYER
Father, I acknowledge all that was lost to mankind and to me personally through sin, is found again through Jesus. I receive you and all you have for me. Holy Spirit please empower and enlighten me and be my connection between heaven and earth once more! Thank you for restoring the power at the cross and Pentecost. In Jesus name. Amen
