Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Some Spring Gardening
Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?'
" 'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.' "
-Luke 13:6-9
I'm getting to the end of John Bunyan's book, The Barren Fig-Tree. Definitely a book for your Sanctification. It's been a journey, to say the least. If you like Bunyan, you really need to read this book.
Page after page forces you to examine the true fruit in your life (not the pretend stuff that you can fool the world, church and yourself with, as Bunyan continually reminds you). There is a chapter towards the end, that not only reminds us of the hope we have in Christ's care for us, but also gives us an incredibly insightful look into the measures that God sometimes uses to bring about fruit in our lives.
Does it not seem true that when we, or friends, experience difficulties in our lives, we're quick to come up with some kind of knee-jerk response to usher them out of the difficulty as quickly as possible. As if hardships are punishments instead of blessings. Oh how shallow my wisdom really is!
Well, as spring is just around the corner, I'm going to reflect on one thing more. As I'm pruning back our Crepe Myrtles (and I mean really pruning them back - you know, so they'll really blossom in July), I'm going to reflect on how the Master Gardener is pruning me and when the cuts are uncomfortable, I'm going to remember the thoughts of my friend, John Bunyan. And I'm also going to pray that the bad earth will come away from my roots - and FAST!
The great thing about all of this is that God is continually at work in bringing about fruit in our lives that is pleasing to Him. He's pruning. He's fertilizing. He's removing the clay. If the end result of pleasing fruit were left up to me, I'm afraid He would be greatly disappointed.
" 'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.' "
-Luke 13:6-9
I'm getting to the end of John Bunyan's book, The Barren Fig-Tree. Definitely a book for your Sanctification. It's been a journey, to say the least. If you like Bunyan, you really need to read this book.
Page after page forces you to examine the true fruit in your life (not the pretend stuff that you can fool the world, church and yourself with, as Bunyan continually reminds you). There is a chapter towards the end, that not only reminds us of the hope we have in Christ's care for us, but also gives us an incredibly insightful look into the measures that God sometimes uses to bring about fruit in our lives.
'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it.'
In a generation where self-help, prosperity-focused, man-centered Christianity is rampant (and if you don't believe this, just walk through Mardels and look at the book titles on the best-sellers shelf), it's quite a reminder that the Lord Himself, uses hardships in our lives to 'take bad earth from our roots and to loosen our roots from the earth.' I think of the many times I've tried to thwart God's care for me by preventing this from happening!Lord, I will loose his roots, I will dig up this earth, I will lay his roots bare; my hand shall be upon him by sickness, by disappointments, by cross providences; I will dig about him until he stands shaking and totering; until he be ready to fall; then, if ever, he will seek to take faster hold.
Thus, I say, deals the Lord Jesus ofttimes with the barren professor; he diggeth about him, he smiteth one blow at his heart, another blow at his lusts, a third at his pleasures, a fourth at his comforts, another at his self-conceitedness.
Thus he diggeth about him; this is the way to take bad earth from his roots, and to loosen his roots from the earth. Barren fig-tree, see here the care, the love, the labour, and the way, which the Lord Jesus, the dresser of the vineyard, is fain to take with thee, if haply thou mayest be made fruitful.
Does it not seem true that when we, or friends, experience difficulties in our lives, we're quick to come up with some kind of knee-jerk response to usher them out of the difficulty as quickly as possible. As if hardships are punishments instead of blessings. Oh how shallow my wisdom really is!
Well, as spring is just around the corner, I'm going to reflect on one thing more. As I'm pruning back our Crepe Myrtles (and I mean really pruning them back - you know, so they'll really blossom in July), I'm going to reflect on how the Master Gardener is pruning me and when the cuts are uncomfortable, I'm going to remember the thoughts of my friend, John Bunyan. And I'm also going to pray that the bad earth will come away from my roots - and FAST!
The great thing about all of this is that God is continually at work in bringing about fruit in our lives that is pleasing to Him. He's pruning. He's fertilizing. He's removing the clay. If the end result of pleasing fruit were left up to me, I'm afraid He would be greatly disappointed.
1 Comments:
Randy & Krissy, What a creative, inspirational, and thought-provoking website. I could spend all day here just looking and reading. With the background music and content of your writings, I felt that I participated in a mini worship service. Your "spring gardening" post especially caught my attention - I will be buying John Bunyan's book soon - I need it. It's so encouraging to see young couples who are sold out to Christ and to following His ways in raising another generation of Christ followers. Thanks for creating a website that focuses on God, not self.
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