slowly walk around my house checking out each plant/flower that I have growing.
The ones that I just planted and seem so small I find myself talking to them in
my soul saying, "You'll get big and beautiful someday....just you wait. Be
patient". I walk around LOVING the variety and wanting all DIFFERENT kinds of
flowers at my home. I LOVE the uniqueness of each and don't compare any of my
flowers to each other wanting the daisy to look or be like the peony. The ones
that just bloomed for the first time ever cause sooooo much delight. I say to
myself (in my head of course, otherwise I might look a little crazy to my
neighbors) "It's working, it's working...........the seed/plant took root and
it is growing!!! Yeah!!." My son, Zeke, knowing how much I LOVE flowers came
running into the house yesterday soooo excited saying, "Mom, mom.....the plant
you just planted has a little red flower on it! Come see!"
The ones that look droopy and thirsty b/c they have spent too much time in
the heat, I have compassion on and know I need to give them some water soon! The
ones that I planted this year and had soooo much potential for beauty but are
doing nothing, are withered and dead looking, grieve this ol' flower lovin'
soul. The flowers that have been growing a few years here at Bombadil and are
rooted and well established providing much beauty I feel very proud of and
think, "Ahhhhhhh....this is as it should be." This morning it struck me (
again) with deep conviction.................."Oh God, I know this is your image
in me." I wondered if this is what God does with us, watching over each one of
us unique creations on a daily basis, allowing us to be where we are on our
journey but desiring all of us to be making progress to reach all the maturity
we can and display as much beauty as possible, and desiring to give us what is
needed to make us more "fruitful." It certainly is the imagery He gives all
throughout his Word:
"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. ...No branch can bear fruit by itself; it
must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I
am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he
WILL bear much fruit; APART FROM ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING. If anyone does not
remain in me, he is like a bracnch that is thrown away and withers; such
branches are picked up and thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me,
AND MY WORDS REMAIN IN YOU, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you.
Thsi is to my Father's glory that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be
my disciples." John 15:1-8
or
"A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell
along the path: it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. Some
fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no
moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the
plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a
hundred times more than was sown." When he said this, he called out, "He who
has ears to hear, let him hear." ....This is the meaning of the parable: The
seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then
the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not
believe and be saved. Those one the rock are the ones who receive the word with
joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a little while,
but in the time of testing they fall away. The seed that fell among the thorns
stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's
worries, riches, and pleasures and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil
stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and
by PERSEVERING produce a crop."
Luke 8:5-15
"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 3 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 13:6-8
.....and sooooo many more.
As you garden, plant, farm your land today......may you find great joy in
understanding that you are made in the image of God and you deeply desire your
plants to thrive, mature, produce great beauty or yummy food because HE HIMSELF
DESIRES THAT FOR YOU! He longs for YOU to thrive in life, to mature and to "Be
transformed into HIS LIKENESS with ever- INCREASING GLORY, which comes from the
Lord, who is the Spirit. (and I will add.."who is the GARDENER OF ALL GARDENERS
AND THE FARMER OF ALL FARMERS") 2 Corinthians 3:18
May you take inventory of your life seeking to discern what kind of seed are
you? Where are you in your growing process? May you take great comfort and
delight ( and a healthy little fear) that there is a God who sees you and
cares about what you do with your life, and that your life can bring him great
pleasure (or pain). After all, that is why you are here! Colossians 1:16, "All
things were created by him and FOR HIM." Don't you want him, as he walks through
his garden of precious souls, to stop and breathe in all the beauty that comes
from your life? He says the key to this is
" Remaining in Jesus and allowing HIS WORDS to remain in you."John 15:7
Like Zeke running in to rejoice with me over my first little rose, may God and
Jesus rejoice with each other when they see a beautiful bloom in our life.
Blessings from Bombadil. May your soul be watered and may you water another's
soul.
Kristy Joy Link
"I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so
that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on
account of me." Phillipians 1:25 & 26
