We (the kids and I) did a little yard work today. We have three fruit trees that hadn't been trimmed since well before we bought our house. I'm pretty sure the lemon tree wasn't going to produce much because it had all kinds of unhealthy growth. We bought one of those really long trimmers (15 ft or so) and as I grabbed the branches the kids pulled the rope to seal the branches doom. It was fun as long as the branches didn't come down on top of us; grapefruit and lemon trees have 1-2" thorns.
As we worked I reflected on how much God demonstrates spiritual truths in nature -- weeds and good trees, seeds and growth. I've seen how many plants won't grow well if they aren't pruned. Sometimes a flower will bloom, die, and be left on. The dead flower seems to be the object of all the plants energy. No other flowers will grow on it until it that dead thing is removed. The branches will continue to grow, but they won't grow healthy; they'll become calloused, skinny and frail.
It's the same with us. One dead thing can drain all the fruit-bearing ability from us. Meanwhile other sinful areas quietly pop up and grow. While we pretend the dead sin isn't there, other sins are taking hold and actually go unnoticed by us (because they look "o.k." compared to the sin we are rebelling against). We don't want to confess and allow God to prune that sin away. When we finally do, we also open ourselves to seeing the other sins. God removes them, though painful, and we feel the weight go.
But a pruned tree looks uncomfortable. With no fruit or flowers showing it looks useless. However, if we push on, drinking from the pure water of God and feeding on His Word, roses and fruit will be bursting forth when we aren't watching. Suddenly, we'll be serving our purpose and glorifying God as we were meant to do; and we'll look back and be amazed. And we understand though painful, God needs to cut the dead and evil away from us.
As we worked I reflected on how much God demonstrates spiritual truths in nature -- weeds and good trees, seeds and growth. I've seen how many plants won't grow well if they aren't pruned. Sometimes a flower will bloom, die, and be left on. The dead flower seems to be the object of all the plants energy. No other flowers will grow on it until it that dead thing is removed. The branches will continue to grow, but they won't grow healthy; they'll become calloused, skinny and frail.
It's the same with us. One dead thing can drain all the fruit-bearing ability from us. Meanwhile other sinful areas quietly pop up and grow. While we pretend the dead sin isn't there, other sins are taking hold and actually go unnoticed by us (because they look "o.k." compared to the sin we are rebelling against). We don't want to confess and allow God to prune that sin away. When we finally do, we also open ourselves to seeing the other sins. God removes them, though painful, and we feel the weight go.
But a pruned tree looks uncomfortable. With no fruit or flowers showing it looks useless. However, if we push on, drinking from the pure water of God and feeding on His Word, roses and fruit will be bursting forth when we aren't watching. Suddenly, we'll be serving our purpose and glorifying God as we were meant to do; and we'll look back and be amazed. And we understand though painful, God needs to cut the dead and evil away from us.
He is good!
I'm glad I took the time to
work in the yard today.
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