As sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 5: 21

 

Some things are blessings and some are burdens. Other things are gifts. It is God’s gifts that stand in stark contrast to those things that are a painful legacy. All people are burdened with the living death that was placed into our make up and that became our nature when the first of our ancestors decided to go it on their own and not trust God’s direction for living in His eternity. They traded dwelling in the garden of God’s presence for a wandering existence in the desert of separation and death. The great potential that was designed into them by God was left unfulfilled, and they were forced to participate in a continual struggle against nature for their own survival.

 

None of this pleased God, in fact, it saddened Him greatly. He lost the companionship of the people that He had created primarily for that purpose. The Lord so enjoyed those close, intimate walks in the garden with His children that, when they were interrupted by our arrogant and self centered actions, He set into motion a plan that would involve the ultimate in self sacrifice in order to remedy the fatal illness of separation through sin. God’s gracious gift of life was brought into this world through the absolute expression of righteousness in the person of Jesus Christ. Everyone is given the opportunity to accept the gift that He brings and be blessed by the continual, personal presence of God.

 

All of the potential that God designed into every person is still there waiting to be realized. Each of us has the ability and the capacity to live as God intended. We can spend all of our days walking in the splendor of the garden of the Lord with His voice speaking truth to our hearts and His arm wrapped around our shoulders in the close embrace of the loving Father. Jesus is the way. Acceptance of His gift is the key, and trusting the Spirit of Christ to lead us to our potential needs to be our daily hope and prayer.