“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 2 Corinthians 5:17

There are several beautiful, majestic ‘Live Oak’ trees at our church. These trees seem to defy gravity as their long, thick limbs can grow over 30 feet and directly parallel to the ground. Even though one limb could literally CRUSH my truck if one fell on it, I still park under its cool shade in the summer. Every once in a while their limbs get so large that their branches rub the tops of vehicles or the even church roof. It is then that they need to be trimmed.

Several years ago I purchased a pole saw to be able to reach tall limbs. The construction is literally a 10” electric chainsaw that attaches to a long pole that can extend out to about 186 feet! Well, at least it FEELS that way! The further out it extends, the heavier it gets. I have discovered there is a direct proportion between the saw’s weight and my age. Trimming them last Friday, I felt 104!

When I pulled into my driveway, I made a mental note to take the pole saw out of my truck so that no one would be tempted to STEAL it. Being hot and sweaty, I decided to first get something to drink and jump in the pool. When I went back out to get it, I noticed the saw was GONE! I had been ROBBED!!!! In an instant my humanity erupted as I felt anger toward the person who stole it AND at myself for not securing it immediately upon arriving home! All I could think of was how foolish I had been!

It took time, but as I cooled down, I replayed my steps over and over in my mind. Try as I may, I could not actually REMEMBER placing the saw into the truck in the first place! Then it hit me, “is it possible…?” When I drove back to the church, the saw lay right where I had left it, under the shade of that beautiful tree!

In the shadow of today’s verse, you’re probably smart enough to know where this is going. If you are thinking that powerful tree, in its beauty and strength, is parallel to God… and that old weak and failing ‘me’ represents my tiny life here on earth, you’d be right. Except for one thing. I am NOT the ONLY one who forgets things! God does too!

God deliberately paid a visit here and hung on a tree, securing my life under the strength and shade of His powerful Grace. If that wasn’t enough, He DELIBERATELY FORGOT about my weak and failing past. I am assured that no attempt by the devil to remind God about my past will work either. I AM a NEW creation in Christ, no matter WHAT I THINK or HOW I FEEL! THAT makes me smile! I think I’ll park right here and rest in HIS work instead of mine!