Pruning Love

Hello friends...

I was reminded this morning of God's love, through pruning, while tidying up my yard (which needed some help!)  There are so many pictures of the way God deals with us, when we look at how things grow (and don't grow)...This summer's Citikidz theme (www.citikidz.org) reminds me of that too, from Psalm 119:105..."Light It Up"!  We don't grow without the sun (Son) and we don't grow when God, or others, don't 'cut us back' and help take off some of our dead branches so we can grow better.  

"²He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.", from John 15.  

Here I am reminded that pruning is not judgment, rather it should be taken as affirmation that God believes in me, that I am worth tending to and helping to bear even more fruit than He has already helped me to bring forth.  Who would want to be a plant or a bush that no one ever noticed, but rather was let to grow haphazardly, however our whims allowed us to grow?  As I meditate on this, I realize that certainly I do not want to be 'untended to'....

  

Another 'gardening lesson' I was reminded of was how a friend has encouraged me to 'get to the root' when I am weeding.  It is easy to pull off the tops of the weed, so that the weed is no longer seen, but what is growing deep down below the soil?  Isn't it worth a little more effort to prevent this weed from coming back?  How often in my life do I just 'cut the tops off' and ignore the deeper roots of the weeds growing in my life?  

 

While at camp, I had a lot of fun times, but also much needed alone time with my Love, Jesus.  There we fine-tuned the vision He has for this season of my life, and I am beginning to see that living according to all He has called me to will require significant pruning in some areas.  I am thankful for the vision, because....

Proverbs 29:18 (KJV) Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he..... 

 BUT....I am certain that I will need the Lord's grace, and the help of some faithful friends to live up to what He has called me to.  This verse also reminds me that vision only comes from striving to know and live according to the Word of God.  As Psalm 119 reminds us, the Word of God is a 'lamp to our feet and a light to our paths'.... 

Dearest Lord, please give me the strength and willingness to live the life you have called me to.  Prune the branches in my life that are keeping me from really looking like You.  Light up the dark places in my soul with your Son-light.  Thank you for being such a faithful and loving Gardener.  Help me to really 'get to the root' of the sin-weeds that choke out the good seeds in my life. I love you.