"NEWBORN"

Written by Rob Bailes

I thought I'd take advantage of this opportunity to show off the most beautiful grand-daughter in the world, since this message is about newborns. The picture is of Kaelyn and she was born only two hours earlier. I couldn't believe my eyes as I pressed my camera against the glass, catching this Kodak moment. What a gift from God she has been. Since her birth on Sept. 10, 2007, Kaelyn has been smothered with love by her mom and family. Kinda funny, but I was so excited on that day that I didn't even set the correct date on my camera, so just ignore that date stamp on the picture. lol

Charles Swindoll tells of his journey around the world just two hours from his front door. He said that he and his family traveled from Paraguay to the Congo. From the Serengeti Plains of Tanzania into the tropical rain forest of Malagasy, across the Indian Ocean to mysterious Malaya. Then it was the tundra of the Arctic Circle, Scandinavia to Mesopotamia, Egypt to China, Manchuria to Siberia. From the icy heights of the Himalayan peaks, across the vast outback of Australia, on deep into the tangled jungles of New Guinea....by bus.

In only forty-five minutes.

They oohed and ahhhed their way through every conceivable scent, sight and sound. Nothing was the same except the small familiar sign that kept popping up on the trails and trees: "Please Don't Feed The Animals".

Yes, they were at the famed San Diego Zoo. Where else could a family hear the shrilling scream of the peacocks running free, touch an elephants snout, study in detail the colorful crest of the rare cockatoo, look into the ceaseless stare of the silvery gray koala perched in the fork of a eucalyptus, or stand just eighteen inches from a cobra.....all in one afternoon? He told of his renewed respect for His creative genius, as they marveled at God's handiwork among his creatures.

But above and beyond all of that, they had a rare treat seldom witnessed in the hundred acre nucleus of Balboa Park. It was so unusual that the salty guide was suddenly mute. They happened upon a newborn. Charles couldn't remember the name of the species but the tiny thing was no more than a few minutes old. There it lay out in the open. Still curled into a fetal ball. Wet, wide eyed, and flop eared, that awkward, fuzzy ball of new life was blinking at it's very first glimpses of dirt, rocks, sun and water. Standing over it was it's mama, fresh blood on her strong hind legs as she proudly licked away the afterbirth and the cord. The other animals? Hardly a second glance. They milled around totally unconcerned.

They could stay no longer. They had to "stay on schedule", so they roared off, leaving a choking cloud of diesel exhaust in their wake.

Many moons have passed since Charles and his family had that memorable episode but he couldn't get over the analogy. That's what I want to share with you today. What happened that day was an amazingly accurate scenario of what happens ever day around our world. Not physically, but spiritually. Not among the caged animals, but in human hearts.

Whether in Madagascar or Monterrey, Zaire or Zurich, Belfast or Birmingham; as the traffics rolls by and the pace increases and pressure mounts....a new birth from heaven suddenly transpires. For some it may be in the heat of the day and for other it may be in the evening or in the dead of the night. Some newborns take their first breaths in a small church on a windy hill after hearing the story of the Savior's death. Others may be in a lonely prison cell sitting beside a radio. Some are even on a school campus somewhere encircled by a few Christian friends who care.

It is then that God steps in, unannounced, bursting into the soul, bringing forgiveness, cleansing, peace along with a whole new perspective and dimension to life. God calls it "eternal life". And the newborn? Whether it is a savage in the bush or a statesman on Capitol Hill, it really doesn't matter. The Word paints the same picture of all newborns;

2Corinthians 5:17 - If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold (see for yourself), all things are becoming new.

New hope. New attitudes. New feelings. New direction. New destiny. The newborn turns his head, blinks his eyes, looks around at his first glimpse of New Life and he can hardly believe it's true. And the World? Of course, it rushes on; unconcerned, busy, preoccupied, it has to "stay on schedule".

Someones eternal new birth has occurred. although it doesn't catch a second glance by all those standing around, the kingdom of God is being silently enlarged.

It happens everyday in our vast world. It even happened today. For all you know, maybe even just two minutes from your own front door. I had a friend share with me today how her son had received his spiritual new birth and how she saw changes in his life as he began to change his habits, his language and the way he treated others. Then she told me something that began to burden my heart as the day progressed. She has put her son in God's hands, but with a broken heart she shared with me how he had slowly fell back into his old habits and away from Christ. Has this happened to someone you know or maybe it even happened to you? It's no mistake that you are reading this message today. God loves us as His own and just as we love our children, He will always welcome you back home. His love is unconditional and the most pure form of love available to mankind. It is the love that you search for when you wander away from your Heavenly Father.

If you know someone who has been through spiritual birth and they didn't get the care that they needed to grow healthy in their spiritual New Life; reach out to them and let them know that they are not alone. Show them the way back home, into the Word, where they will be fed and grow to become strong in their divine nature (spiritual maturity). A newborn must be loved, held and taught. Let's lay our schedules aside and do this a little each day. Sometimes it only takes a minute to pray with them. This is missing in so many churches today. Is it missing in your life? If so, don't feel alone. It is so common and we have grown accustom to it. Reach out.

Passages of Wisdom
Deepening Your Roots - John 3:1-17, 2Corinthians 5:17, 1Peter 1:1-5

Branching Out
1. Sometime this week hold a baby in your arms.
2. Pray for a young Christian every day this week.