GOOD•NEWS•SNAPS
i t ' s • a l l • d o w n h i l l
Downhill House was built in the late 18th century for Frederick, 4th Earl of Bristol and Lord Bishop of Derry (known as 'the Earl-Bishop'), at Downhill, County Londonderry. Much of the building was destroyed by fire in 1851 before being rebuilt in the 1870s. It fell into disrepair after the Second World War.
The phrase "It's all downhill from here" can have two very different meanings: "It's easy the rest of the way" or "It's all going to get worse." For the ruins of Downhill House, I think it's the latter.
My life was once headed downhill in the negative sense. I was a sinner, heading for a final judgement, in front of a holy and perfect God. Even if I had been able to reform myself and live a perfect life (which I couldn't), there was no way to undo past sins. I was totally without hope.
If I'd been tempted to think that I was no worse than anyone else, it would not have helped: "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
But, one day I understood the good news: "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).
So, even though this life can, and no doubt will, get harder in many ways, in a very real sense it's all downhill from here, in the best possible way: "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God" (Romans 3:24-25).
i t ' s • a l l • d o w n h i l l
Downhill House was built in the late 18th century for Frederick, 4th Earl of Bristol and Lord Bishop of Derry (known as 'the Earl-Bishop'), at Downhill, County Londonderry. Much of the building was destroyed by fire in 1851 before being rebuilt in the 1870s. It fell into disrepair after the Second World War.
The phrase "It's all downhill from here" can have two very different meanings: "It's easy the rest of the way" or "It's all going to get worse." For the ruins of Downhill House, I think it's the latter.
My life was once headed downhill in the negative sense. I was a sinner, heading for a final judgement, in front of a holy and perfect God. Even if I had been able to reform myself and live a perfect life (which I couldn't), there was no way to undo past sins. I was totally without hope.
If I'd been tempted to think that I was no worse than anyone else, it would not have helped: "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
But, one day I understood the good news: "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).
So, even though this life can, and no doubt will, get harder in many ways, in a very real sense it's all downhill from here, in the best possible way: "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God" (Romans 3:24-25).