Tuesday, April 12, 2011

They will stay FRESH and GREEN

I have cacti. Several Cacti.  I leave them in the house in the winter, no water, and then put them outside in the summer, and they bloom. It is amazing!!! More on those blooms another day though.

It always seems like a miracle to me the way these cacti survive, and even when as if forgotten, they still stay fresh and green.

A few weeks ago I had moved some of them around in the house (small house, lots of cacti!) and one was left under a table.  One day the sun was shining through the window and somehow was able to shine on the cactus under the table.  And I had no idea until that moment that it had started growing. The way the sun shone down on it, was as if to point out to me, "look, it is growing green even under there!" and it was beautiful.
Right next to a thorn. Beautiful green, with light shining on it so that it almost glowed!

What a reflection of me as child of God.  Sometimes it seems as if we are forgotten by God, when we dwell on our thorns and troubles.  But all along, He is right there, keeping me fresh and green and bearing fruit, through His Spirit and His Son.  "They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green" Psalm 92:14
Even in an unlikely person such as me, born a sinner, with all my thorns and imperfections, yet redeemed by the blood of Jesus. Even I can still bear fruit.

And so I bloom, right where I am planted, a reflection of Him, when He shines on me, and in me, and through me.

Here is an update, the cacti spent their first day outside in the sunshine and warmth of spring today, and look at how much it has grown!

And there is yet another baby starting, despite those sharp thorns:

Signing off for today, I have more to say about those other blooms another day.
Bloom where God plants you.
Christine

2 comments:

  1. "Sometimes it seems as if we are forgotten by God, when we dwell on our thorns and troubles. But all along, He is right there, keeping me fresh and green and bearing fruit, through His Spirit and His Son."

    You point out one of my favorite things about the biblical, Lutheran doctrines of justification and sanctification. I remember what a relief it was, when my husband pointed out to me and applied it to the walk of faith and as example of *how* God really sees us as righteous through faith. God really does see Jesus' righteousness, even when *we* don't realize we're being faithful.

    "By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come." .

    Even when we don't try, we are bearing fruit according to God's good pleasure.

    And we can even, along with Esau, be listed among the heroes of faith.

    "Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!" .

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