Gardening

I've been thinking about gardening lately. Maybe it's my new role as "wife" that has made me think I should take up gardening, I don't know. But whatever it is, I've been thinking about it... In the last week, I have brought home a catalog of bulbs, from work (who does that??), been thinking obsessively about getting some of the hosta plants my mom promised she would split to share with me, and this weekend, I started to notice the beautiful hydrangea bushes that have bloomed at what seems like every house except for mine. I even told Jason that someday I want a house that we can have a whole row of beautiful hydrangea bushes in front of.



Anyway, in the wake of this new little obsession of mine, the sermon this morning at church was about... you guessed it... gardening! God always knows how to grab our attention at just the right time.

The points of the message were that 1) the purpose of pruning is to allow a plant to bear the best, juciest fruit possible, 2) while necessary, pruning is usually also quite painful as it's happening, and 3) the person doing the pruning is actually loving the plant, because even though it may hurt to be pruned it is necessary to bear the best fruit.

I'm sure you can guess, but the point here is that God is the Master Gardener, and is continually pruning us, his children, so that we can best serve him. Jesus said in John 15:1-5...

I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
He cuts off every branch that doesn't produce fruit,
and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they
will produce even more. You have already been pruned
for greater fruitfulness by the message I have given you.
Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch
cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine,
and you cannot be fruitful apart from me.
Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who
remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit.
For apart from me you can do nothing.

This got me to thinking... Do I produce fruit? Or am I just a waste of space? Most of the time I feel like a waste of space, with the same old mundane routine day in and day out. Am I open to God's pruning? Willing to accept whatever challenges he should bring my way?

This morning, the pastor said "A life that is fruitful is a life that has the features of Jesus running through their veins."

Do others see the features of Jesus in me? Am I loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and do I have self-control? Whew! Probably not. But I also know that apart from God, I can do NOTHING! I NEED Jesus at all times... and if I don't have him then I AM a waste of space.

This morning was a good reminder that I need to remember to ask God to be with me at all times, and to help me appreciate any painful pruning that He may be doing in my life.

By American standards, Jason and I don't have a lot. It is so easy for us to get wrapped up in the sinful materialistic desires of this world, and let that change our attitudes. It happened just this morning, even in the wake of this great sermon. Jason and I stopped at Crate & Barrel to do some post-wedding shopping with some of our gift cards. When our plan A, plan B, AND plan C of our attempt to get seating for our dining room table, failed, I got REALLY discouraged. I was bummed that nothing seemed to be working out, and we just don't have any money to make our desires work out at this time. And so I pouted. And almost left the store with nothing because I was in such a bad mood. And the worst part is that I KNEW it was stupid... that I shouldn't let furniture shopping affect my attitude. And I kept thinking there are starving children in Africa! But that didn't change anything. See... I am completely incapable of controlling my reactions on my own. But I know that with God's help, and pruning, I can do anything. And maybe, just maybe, God is "pruning" me of my reliance on money to be happy.

Lord, I pray you will take me and shape me into the woman you had planned. Use me for your will, and help me to understand what that means on a daily basis. I pray that you will cultivate my heart so that the features of your son, Jesus, will run through my veins, and that others around me will see you in me. Thank you for your faithfulness. There is no other like you Lord. Amen.