I enjoy pulling into my driveway and seeing bright colors of yellow, and purple, and red flowing out of my hanging baskets. After so many cold and colorless months, it's nice to not just feel the warm air on our skin, but to also be visually stimulated by the vibrant colors of spring.
From a distance, you don't see any imperfections in each basket of flowers. They look like they're full of healthy blossoms, as if they are watered daily and appropriately fed the perfect amount of plant food. However, I'm not the most diligent gardener. I'm have more of a "hit or miss" type of approach. They might get tended to very consistently for a week, and then I'll get lax and just pray for rain!
As I took the time this morning to actually get up close to my plants, I realized that it was time to do some pruning. Each plant was still beautiful from a distance, but as I got closer I began to see all of the buds that had died and were beginning to wither. I began the process of "dead-heading" which removes all of the dead parts so that they don't rob the healthy parts of any water or nutrients.
As I plucked each brown, withered blossom I began to think about what parts of my life needed to be "dead-headed." You see, just like plants, we have to frequently take the time to examine what part of our lives aren't bearing any fruit anymore. From a distance, we can make it look to the world like everything is fine and dandy and that there is nothing but good flowing out of our lives. But, just like my plants, the closer we get to others, the dead heads are bound to show through.
Regardless of whether or not we let our dead heads (those sins that keep us from truly glorifying God with our lives) show through to the outside world, they are always seen by God. We can even deceive ourselves into believing that they're not there whenever they really are, but we can never deceive God. He is the ultimate gardener and it is through Him and His Word that we can even be made aware of our sins.
Jesus even uses the illustration in John's Gospel of His Father being the gardener. He says:
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He 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." John 15:1-2
I wish I didn't, but I have plenty of those dead branches in my life that God continues to cut off, and I want Him to. He exposes dead branches like:
What does God see in your life today?
Is it beautiful from a distance so that all the world thinks that you've got it all together, but God and those who know you best are able to see the dead heads (sins) that you haven't plucked out yet?
Just like my flowers, our lives are in constant need of assessment. I can't let a week go by without spending some time plucking and pruning in those pots and baskets. If I do, then their likelihood of making it through the summer is very slim. If I let time continue to pass in my life where I haven't looked below the surface to see what needs to be plucked, then my spiritual life will be just as unhealthy as my flowers.
Take some time today to make sure that your life doesn't just look good from a distance. Anyone can be superficial. Commit to be a follower of Christ that lets the ultimate gardener have total control of your life, even if that means a little plucking and pruning.
From a distance, you don't see any imperfections in each basket of flowers. They look like they're full of healthy blossoms, as if they are watered daily and appropriately fed the perfect amount of plant food. However, I'm not the most diligent gardener. I'm have more of a "hit or miss" type of approach. They might get tended to very consistently for a week, and then I'll get lax and just pray for rain!
As I took the time this morning to actually get up close to my plants, I realized that it was time to do some pruning. Each plant was still beautiful from a distance, but as I got closer I began to see all of the buds that had died and were beginning to wither. I began the process of "dead-heading" which removes all of the dead parts so that they don't rob the healthy parts of any water or nutrients.
As I plucked each brown, withered blossom I began to think about what parts of my life needed to be "dead-headed." You see, just like plants, we have to frequently take the time to examine what part of our lives aren't bearing any fruit anymore. From a distance, we can make it look to the world like everything is fine and dandy and that there is nothing but good flowing out of our lives. But, just like my plants, the closer we get to others, the dead heads are bound to show through.
Regardless of whether or not we let our dead heads (those sins that keep us from truly glorifying God with our lives) show through to the outside world, they are always seen by God. We can even deceive ourselves into believing that they're not there whenever they really are, but we can never deceive God. He is the ultimate gardener and it is through Him and His Word that we can even be made aware of our sins.
Jesus even uses the illustration in John's Gospel of His Father being the gardener. He says:
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He 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." John 15:1-2
I wish I didn't, but I have plenty of those dead branches in my life that God continues to cut off, and I want Him to. He exposes dead branches like:
- Gossip
- Unholy thoughts
- Selfishness
- Failure to give Him the worship He's due
- Failure to reach out to others in need
What does God see in your life today?
Is it beautiful from a distance so that all the world thinks that you've got it all together, but God and those who know you best are able to see the dead heads (sins) that you haven't plucked out yet?
Just like my flowers, our lives are in constant need of assessment. I can't let a week go by without spending some time plucking and pruning in those pots and baskets. If I do, then their likelihood of making it through the summer is very slim. If I let time continue to pass in my life where I haven't looked below the surface to see what needs to be plucked, then my spiritual life will be just as unhealthy as my flowers.
Take some time today to make sure that your life doesn't just look good from a distance. Anyone can be superficial. Commit to be a follower of Christ that lets the ultimate gardener have total control of your life, even if that means a little plucking and pruning.
I need to get pruning in my garden,,,,,,,those weeds are hard to get rid of...so "Round Up" those and tend to them.........so my days will be brighter...thank you.
ReplyDeleteTrust me Cathy, we've all got some work to do! I'm so thankful that God is more patient with His children than I tend to be with mine!
ReplyDelete