LVV - Stinkin' Chickens - Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!
Fresh bread
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here! 1 Corinthians 5:17 (NIVUK)
Focus story
It was a hot summers day in 2008 when my wife sent me on an errand. So during my lunch break I donned my shades and merrily drove off into the Antrim countryside to the specific factory selling the alleged 'plumper than normal' luscious chicken breasts. These super-chicken breasts were billed as those fit for the likes of 'The Great British Menu' or a ' Masterchef' cookery competition!
So with an order of several dozen chicken breasts secured and my darling's request literally in the bag, it sounded like another simple chore chalked up on my obedient husband 'to do' list. Her well worn phrase came to mind, "it's better in them than on them." My wife was always a strong advocate for the best of food for our sons. She reckoned fish was brain food and that if they took their 'five a day' it would 'keep the doctor at bay', helping ensure they'd have a healthy life.
With the chicken breast purchase complete, I searched for my car keys. The search unfortunately had me remain keyless! Even after retracing my steps from the cashier to the car, several times, I can remember a pain build in the pit of my stomach. Yes, the gradual realisation was beginning to seep in, that the keys had decided to stay in the boot. I've learned that the Irish language is structured in such a way that it never apportions blame to the person, but rather cleverly does so to the guilty object instead (lol). So the car boot had snaffled-up my keys - bad car boot!
I did think that the Czech manufactured Skoda Superb would be an easy car to access for a specialist car locksmith. Wrong-a-mondo! The security on this classy-chassis was on a
par with Fort Knox security. Even the visit of the locksmith, with his fancy " it takes a thief" accoutrements, could not gain entry to this European VW copycat!
After all the shenanigans, I eventually had to concede defeat. I then informed the chicken factory staff of the 'keys locked in the book incident' and frustrated, got a taxi back to work. I had then hoped, against hope, that my wife could simply put her hands on the second set of keys at home and then drive the 50 minutes north of Belfast to become my rescueranger. But life sometimes is just never that simple. Murphy's law - which says that anything that can go wrong will go wrong - had kicked in and was starting to gain momentum!
Thankfully we eventually found a copy set of keys, albeit later that night.
The next day, after a good nights sleep, a gentle bus journey and subsequent taxi ride, I arrived back to open the boot. Mission accomplished, boot unlocked, I was greeted with the almighty stench of stinkin' chickens! In the heat of the day the chickens had all gone off and around ÂŁ100's worth of chickens, originally destined for two freezers, was now wasted. I was absolutely gutted at the high value loss and just couldn't have afforded to buy them for a second time.
Thinking all was lost, I let the chicken factory staff know what had happened and thanked them for looking after my car overnight. The owner came out and rather surprisingly took pity on me, and graciously offered me a free replacement of the lot. Wow! I was ever so appreciative of this random act of kindness. Redeemed, redeemed - O happy day, when my stinkin' chickens were redeemed. Someone had intervened to pay the price I deserved to pay . Now that's what I call "grace - undeserved, unearned and unmerited favour"!
Final application
Lord, thank you for the freedom you bring to me in living a Word-governed life (2 Cor 3:17). Thank you for releasing me from the self-centredness of my old creation life and unlocking my true potential to your Kingdom purposes (2 Cor 5:17). Thank you for being my divine locksmith, turning my mess into a message of hope (1 Pet 1:3). Thank you for the cross-work of Jesus and His blood that washes my stinkin' life cleaner than any bio
liquid clothes whitener, washing whiter than white (Rev 19:13). Thank you, that like the factory owner, you have paid the price which I couldn't afford to pay (1 Cor 6:20). Thank you for being my rescue-ranger, delivering my life from sin, sickness and eternal punishment (Gal 1:6: Psa 107:20). Thank you for undeserved, unmerited and unearned favour of the new creation life of your Spirit (Col 3:9-10). Thank you for life on two levels ; abundant life in the here an now (John 10:10) and the assurance of eternal life in the life hereafter (1 John 5:13). As the old hymn beautifully encapsulates, "redeemed how I love to proclaim it, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, redeemed by his infinite mercy, His child and forever I am" (1 Pet 1:19). Amen.
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