New Life

The celebration of new life is coming.

"We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.  We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.  For one who has died has  been set free from sin.  Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.  We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again;  death no longer has dominion over him,  For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God."

However, first...

"For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.  For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.  And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies."

Today was full.
Frustrated/futility , groaning/anger, new birth.
Lunch came late.  What was almost ready was soon to wait.
Two feet for too long.  Only two feet, nothing more. 
And so the need to explore this dilemma.  Two feet for too long. Only two feet, nothing more is not good.
New life comes "easy" to the heifer bred with Jersey.
Only two feet, nothing more should not be.
An anomaly.
Frustration.
Antithesis!
The calving gear gathered.  Chains on dainty legs.
Calf gone backward? Head Back? Leg down? My thoughts whorl.
The heifer lays there waiting, pushing, straining.  Pains of childbirth, but new life has not come.
Hours have passed, but now help has come, hope has come. Seemingly.
The heifer has had enough of this help.  She moves on, on, and on.  Help tries, but only ends up groaning, angry, wrath quickly rising.

"But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness."

God is! Today I fail at imitating.  
More help comes.  The one who knows what it is to be in the throws of childbirth.  The one who understands.  The one quick to speak peace to a mother in distress.  My anger persists as my phone disseminates, and I become covered in what is now spewing out of my mouth.

Then the one who knows being a mother prevails.  The unbound is bounded and he who is all too familiar with a desperate need for grace gets to the work of birthing.
The answer. A head back. Dainty as are the legs.
Tired arms push legs back in.  The mother groans like none yet heard from her.  She can not understand.  Only one thought, one object. EXPEL THE CALF!
Yet as Christ knows the painful work that needs to be done,

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us."

so he with tired arms knows the only way out is by going back in.  This calf will only come through his work.  The harder she tries on her own the worse her situation will be.  As with us we must rely on His wisdom, His ways, His work, not our own.
Soon the legs are back in.  A tired arm finds a head and wrestles it in to place.  It must come with the feet.
Now the real pushing can be done.  Now the work of redemption.  Now comes new life by him of aching body.

" But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed."  -Isaiah 53:5

Click below for more thoughts on new life as we prepare to celebrate Easter...