climbed

Jeffie was in his playpen and he was crying. Tears were rolling down his little cheeks, his face was red as it could be. He was crying, and he looked pitiful in his little baseball T-shirt and a diaper.

Then Jeffie's Grandpa entered the room; Jeffie's little face lit up when He saw his Grandpa!  He immediately reached out his little arms in supplication and said "Out Pa Pa out."  

 

What is a Grandpa to do? How can someone resist that?   So Grandpa went over to the playpen, he bent over. He reached down to lift his little buddy from captivity and distress... 

 

Just then "Law and Order" walked into the room. Momma said "Jeffie, you stay right there! I'm punishing you because you have been naughty! Dad, leave Jeffie alone!"

 

What's a Grandpa to do?   Grandpa backs off and is thinking, "I can't just pick up a book and read it with Jeffie here. He would think I was uncaring and distant. I can't leave the room because he would feel like I have abandoned him."  So, what's a Grandpa to do?

 

But you know what? Love always finds a way. Since Grandpa couldn't take Jeffie out of the playpen, Grandpa climbed in with Jeffie!   Grandpa said "If you are in the playpen buddy, I'm in the playpen too.  What are you in for? What is your sentence?"

 

Having Grandpa join him in his "prison cell" brought Jeffie great comfort and joy. In the midst of his captivity, Jeffie no longer felt so alone.

 

What Jeffie's Grandpa did is also a picture of what Jesus Christ did for us when He came to Earth as a baby.  God the Father yearned to reach down into our "playpen of captivity" and pull us out. He could not... because of our disobedience... because of our sin. So what did God do?  God climbed into our "playpen" with us!

 

When Jesus Christ entered into our "playpen of captivity," He took the sin and disobedience that should have been ours alone, releasing us from our captivity... allowing us the opportunity to experience the fullness of life God has for us!

 

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.   (1 John 4:10)

 

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.   (Romans 5:8)