Growing in Grace

While the worries of the world are like a hot flame upon on our heads and the work of man wears us out, the presence of the Lord refreshes and renews. Waking to a new day with the wonder of God in my mind, I strive to push aside the mundane tasks, which oppress my spirit. Thoughts of freedom to allow the Lord to move me wherever He pleases, feels like cool water on hot, swollen feet. I surrender to the prompt to ponder what the Lord has in store today and symbolically dip my whole body into the refreshing spring of Living Water.

Wading with a fresh word of encouragement from Chambers, I found myself drawn back to the awe and wonder I have of God. His desire to know me, His tenderness, power and faithfulness are my great comfort. However, when I focus on God alone, not the attributes that bless me, I am stunned to silence.

In times like this I become a very small child. The cares of day to day life are laid down and I step into an awareness of the hand of the Almighty all around me. Every single element of our world expands and becomes tethered to God's hand.

“Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made,” (John 1:3 NIV).

While a single flower holds a beauty and wonder of its own, it’s dependency on soil, nutrients, water, air and sun light remind me that God has intricately woven his creation to be dependant. Life is not by chance, nor is it in our control. Life is only by the power of God.

Looking to my grossly neglected garden, I marvel at the number of blooms on the rose bushes. Suddenly I am reminded that the plant can thrive without my precise, trained pruning. In an instant the bush went from a burden and guilt to a spiritual blessing. For the Lord spoke to me of budding hopes, blooming dreams, aromatic joy, days passing like petals falling to the ground, sucker branches stealing energy, even some dead issues that needed some attention. My present journey was portrayed in the portrait of a rose bush. The Lord revealed the life it depicted was beautiful—not because it had been meticulously handled and manipulated--because it was growing in freedom.

The visual ministered to me as I pondered Oswald Chambers words; “Our natural inclination is to be so precise—trying always to forecast accurately what will happen next—that we look upon uncertainty as a bad thing.” While we allow fear and desire for comfort to fuel and guide many of our efforts we strain like gardeners striving to make a paradise on earth. In the process we lose the wonder of the rose bush or worse claim its beauty to be a result of our effort not God’s.

The Lord desires we remain like children struck with awe and wonder as we go through life. Not fighting to take control of circumstances but gleefully anticipating the work of His hand. We bloom when we trust He has a plan and surrender ourselves to every surprise he has in store for us. For when we rest in the certainty of God we can relish not resent the uncertainty of His ways.

Young David slayed Goliath through his faith in the certainty of God. Gideon sought confirmation to the uncertain ways of the Lord. Each man brought glory to our King through their lives because they allowed the hand of God to work in their lives freely. They didn't determine the shape of their bush. They simply allowed God to be Lord in their circumstances. Their joy was in the glory of God.

Again I go to the garden and recall moments with Him as I watered and weeded. The hummingbirds drinking from the hose…so close I didn’t dare breathe, the turtle doves nesting in the haven of our trees, the woodpecker hammering away, the glorious hawk pausing on the lawn with prey in its claws, the owls silhouette in the night, even the ducks enjoying the pool. Each encounter, a blessed surprise and thrilling experience.

God desires to surprise us in our day to day lives as well. He delights in revealing Himself and the glory in His creation with us. The "chance" encounter with a long lost friend, an upgrade in service, a note of encouragement in the mail, an opportunity to speak of him to a stranger. What gifts of God do we miss because of tight fisted hands or hyper control issues. How I pray we learn to lay our pruners down and allow our lives to grow in the freedom of Christ. Let us hold to our childlike wonder of God and give our Lord opportunity to surprise and thrill us in this garden of life.

When we step back and take in the whole picture of our life…may we recognize the beauty in uncertainty and freedom in Christ. For the True Gardener knows how to tend our vines best and the certainty we have in God is our best nutrient for growing.