Lost

We’ve lost something. Once we stood in awe of our father’s immeasurable strength. Once our fingers wrapped around only one of our parent’s fingers. Once we had nothing to regret and there was always a bigger bed to run to when the monsters in the closet were too scary to handle alone. Simplicity was our theme and our hearts were whole.

There was an innocence that defined us, that caused our imaginations to sore higher than the clouds and further than Pluto. When catching fireflies on a summer’s night was more fascinating than all the passions we now possess. When our lunches were packed in brown paper bags and we always hoped we had something yummy to trade. When lying in the grass staring at the clouds was better than TV.

But we’ve lost something. Things have changed.

Now we stand in awe of nothing. Now our fingers no longer hold anything but our pride. Now we have massive regrets and we must face our monsters on our own. Now complexity is our theme and our hearts are shattered.

The innocence that once was our definition is only a distant memory we’ll never be able to return to.

But here is the catch, the deal, and the hook: today is never too late to be made brand new. “Who you are is not what you did, you’re still an innocent.” There will be new months and new days, there will be new years and new loves, and there will be new houses and new fathers.

So whether you’re 21 or 79 you’re still growing up and by the sheer grace of God we are told, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation, the old is gone the new has come. (2 Cor. 5:17)”

Though our past is a pain and will constantly be used to show us our failings we must, by the grace of God, preach this Gospel-truth to your hearts and apply it to our deep wounds as a doctor applies a bandage, that we have been, and are being made brand new.

It is how and why and what we sing, "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness."