Living Nobly

"When I passed by thee,...I said unto thee...,'Live.' " Ezekiel 16:6

I have been reading and watching Brother Peter's poignant questions for the last couple of days and meditating upon them. Today, God brought my thoughts to completion. Both of my morning devotions, Spurgeon and Chambers, melded beautifully together in perfect union to offer me a conclusion to my meditation. I would like to share them with you.

Spurgeon takes us to the first part of Ezekiel 16 which is an allegory of Israel as a helpless newborn baby and how God said to her "Live!" He cleansed Israel, wrapped her in garments, and adorned her with jewels. It is a perfect analogy of our own salvation, how He "passed by and saw [us] kicking about in [our] own blood" and said to us "Live!" God saw us as sinful and in need of a Savior. For those of us who chose Him, He bestowed upon us life eternal.

Chambers exhorted me to live a noble life, one worthy of my Christian calling, by reminding me that "strait is the gate, and narrow is the way" (Matthew 7:13-14). In this verse, Jesus is saying the way is not full of obstacles and hurdles we must first navigate through before salvation becomes ours. Rather, He is telling us there is only one way to be at peace with God and He is the Gateway to that end.

Chambers further encouraged me by saying, "If we are going to live as disciples of Jesus, we have to remember that all noble things are difficult...Do we so appreciate the marvelous salvation of Jesus Christ that we are our utmost for His highest?" (Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest)

By blending the two devotions together - being made alive in Christ and then living a noble and Godly life - we must take into account the second part of both citations. In Ezekiel 16, God admonishes unfaithful Jerusalem for become prideful and haughty, disobedient and prostituting themselves to idols, sacrificing their children to them, and building "lofty shrines". In other words, they forgot how God had lifted them out of their "blood" and blessed them with His providence. His people had forsaken Him for worldly pleasures and His condemnation was upon them.

Matthew 7:14 reminded me that we can fall into the same trap Israel found itself in if we are not careful to stay on the "narrow" pathway. Having been pulled from death into life, it is imperative we remain faithful to God. "He works in us to will and to do of His good pleasure; but we have to work out that salvation in practical living...If we fail, it is because we have not practiced." (Chambers) It is our obligation to fulfill all that God works into us and to demonstrate Christ to a lost world. If we refuse or fail to "practice", we may find ourselves on the "wide...gate and broad...road that leads to destruction..." along with "the many who enter through it."

"Christians, recognize your position: you are debtors to grace. Since God has commanded you to live, show your gratitude by living earnest, Christlike lives." (Spurgeon, Evening by Evening) I must reveal Christ to all men by faithfully sharing His Gospel. I must strive to reject the world, to have nothing to do with the deeds of darkness, to refuse to elevate myself, others, or objects above the Eternal God, and to keep my feet firmly planted on His pathway. In other words, I must nobly work out what He has so graciously worked in - a new and eternal life.

The Avenue Called Grace

My life is a thoroughfare. It’s not a one-way street. As much as I desire that all who pass upon it steer towards the avenue called Grace, it’s a two-way street and those who traverse it do so with free will.

At the entrance, there stands an odd toll booth. The price of admission is free for all those who choose to travel upon its roadway. Some come through willingly with open hearts and minds. Others with caution, slowly inching their way and suspicious that there is no cost and of what may lie ahead of them. Still, others come with agendas of their own. Like a bulldozer with its blade lowered, they attempt to grind, rip and tear up the street’s surface in order that the way be made harder for others to pass. But, the roadway is lined with indestructible pavement. Those who come with the intent to destroy only temporarily disrupt the traffic’s flow.

At times, it appears the travelers are rushing wildly with no clear destination. They are not heedful of the warning signs that line its broad path. The traveler looks for short cuts in an attempt to diminish the congestion that often appears. He fixes his eyes straight ahead; impatience pushes him; arrogance drives him; pride compels him. He’s only passing through and thinks he is certain where he is going. He has no time to pause and reflect, no time to gaze upon the beauty that lies beyond the meanness of his existence. So he drives through and ignores, forgets, rejects the signs I have placed along the thoroughfare to point him to the avenue called Grace.

Along the thoroughfare of my life is an exit sign that is divinely placed. Long ago, the sign was carried there by pierced feet and fixed firmly in the ground by healing hands equally pierced. It is clearly marked. The elements of time have failed to erode or fade its brilliance. Nor have the designs and plans of men succeeded in its removal. Men have attempted to build upon it, or erect structures around it to block its view from the weary traveler. But the monument is embedded in solid rock and built from life-giving blood by the One Who placed it there. Standing against the testaments of time and man, the exit sign is eternal and it awaits those who journey toward it.

I am the toll gate keeper at the entrance to my thoroughfare. I have been entrusted with the duty of handing out the map that defines the way to the avenue of Grace. I am only able to greet and encourage those who are sent by my Master Who, if travelers are willing, will lead them the rest of the way. The map is clear and distinct in its markings. There are no side trips, no confusing twists and turns. The precision with which the journey is charted leaves no question in the minds of those steering towards it, for the hand that drew it also built the street.

There was a time when I was given my own map and made the journey down the narrow and winding streets of another gate keeper’s thoroughfare. But the way was made clear and the path broad and wide by the One who piloted me to the safety within the haven of the avenue of Grace. When others pass by me, I will not always know how they have fared. It is a certainty that roadblocks will loom ahead of them. Road signs reading lies and deceit will lure them towards what appear to be more appealing exits. Yet, if they choose to follow the map I have given them and allow the proffered hand of divine help to steer them, they will surely find their way.

My life is a thoroughfare. It’s not a one-way street. Many have come and gone. Many have become lost along the way. Some lose the map and must return to request another which is gladly given from the limitless supply. But there is hope in that they have chosen to drive through my toll booth and take the map that is offered them. They’ll know the exit when they see it. It is paved with gold and a gathering of other travelers joyfully await them on the avenue called Grace.

Equal Justice

“Let the sea resound, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it.
Let the rivers clap their hands,
Let the mountains sing together for joy;
let them sing before the LORD,
for He comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples with equity.”

Psalm 98:7-9

The framers of our Constitution maintained that equal justice was intended for all citizens of the new Federation. It was critical that this be the foundation upon which America was built. Her forefathers understood the threat of tyranny and oppression for they had risen out of the scorching ashes of such governments. Through prayer, blood and tears, the early settlers fought to form a nation established upon the principals of God’s holy and just laws. They wrote our time-honored documents to reflect His perfect and indisputable commandments by insisting that “all men are created equal” in God’s sight and that “all men should be afforded equal protection under the law.” And in order to assure equal protection, basic human rights were awarded to the people to prevent a return to the tyranny from which they had escaped. It is my contention that God Almighty established this nation, not man. They were but the obedient instruments used to reveal His perfect justice to a world of injustice. Through His guidance, America would become a beacon of light shining upon a dark and oppressive world.

For two centuries America remained that beacon of light. The downtrodden flocked to her shores seeking a better life and the freedoms she afforded. God continued to bless her with prosperity and protection and placed the United States as an example that brought envy to the world. But within the last half century her walls began to crumble. The very documents that established America as a God-fearing nation were being eroded and reinterpreted by men bent on rewriting them to suit their own twisted philosophies. Basic rights once given to protect the citizens from heavy-handed, tyrannical intrusion were amended to further weaken the premise of “by the people, for the people.” Complacency and ignorance swept over the populace as they placed men in positions of power who were driven to bring “change” to what was once a bright and shining example of the closest thing to perfection men could devise. We now find our beloved America at a crossroad where one wrong turn could bring her walls completely down to a heap of ruin.

In spite of those who adamantly deny that our forefathers allowed God to guide them in the creation of our nation, our founder’s own writings prove otherwise. The claim of contradictions regarding their spirituality are weak at best. Regardless of their tenets, each reflected within their writings an affirmation of a sovereign God and His perfect justice. They acknowledged Him clearly and plainly as Creator. They honored His name by adhering to His principals and instilling them in our governing documents. But our Creator is systematically and methodically being ripped from them. Cunning attempts to completely remove God from every visible aspect of our government and our society are being made by men and women with no understanding of the true peril of their actions. If they are successful, our God will completely remove His blessings upon our nation and the America He has so graciously blessed will cease to exist.

God’s judicial equality extends far beyond our immediate situation. His justice is perfection and it is required and demanded by Him that all men eventually face a final judgment. However at this juncture, His justice also provides us an opportunity to return to obedience, to re-instill Him in our society and government, and to re-acknowledge the abundance with which He so richly blessed our nation.

America has been given a stay of execution, so to speak. But in God’s timing, she has only minutes left to remedy the wrongs committed. Let us all pray it happens quickly before the Lord enacts His final justice equally upon all her citizens.


Recommended reading:

Job 8:3:7
Psalms 99:4
Isaiah 10:2; 30:18; 56:1; 59:8-11
Joel 2:12-14
Hosea 14
Luke 18:7
Romans 3:25

Oh You Of Little Faith

"He replied, 'Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, "Move from here to there" and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.' " Matthew 17:20-21

My faith was tested this week. The test was not through trial or temptation. Rather, it was a test of how much faith I had that God would answer fervent and desperate prayers for a dying friend who, by all appearances, was going to leave this world an unsaved man. My husband, Steve, and I did not know that God was working behind the scenes and His reply would be as much for us as it was for our friend, Don.

Don lived a life void of Godliness. At one point in our lives, we shared in his worldliness until we met and embraced Jesus and turned from it. Although we had begun a new life in Christ and lived over 350 miles apart, we would on occasion see Don. His life had settled down and he had matured, but there was no evidence of change in his spirituality, never any mention of God and his eternal destination. In retrospect, Don lived his life as the average man lives it. He worked and saved and stored his treasures here on earth. It was not until his diagnosis that something stirred within him that gave us hope.

Last fall Steve received a surprise phone call from Don with news the doctors had found a spot on his lung. He asked Steve to pray for him. We were dumbfounded, simply because Don had never before demonstrated even the smallest amount of faith. We praised God that He moved Don to call Steve and began a vigil of prayer and witnessing we hoped would prove fruitful. But disappointment and sadness swept over us as we watched Don refuse to open his door for our Pastor or others who could help him through his ordeal. Precious months flew by, the cancer spread throughout his body, treatment ended, and his friends and family faced the inevitable fact Don was dying. We heard no confession of faith, his door still appeared closed, and we grieved. But not before one final attempt to reach him was made.

This week Steve had received the terrible news that Don had only days or hours left. We were told he was semi-comatose and unable to communicate. A last prayer request for God’s intervention was sent to my list of prayer warriors. We settled into despair and waited for the final phone call. However, the message we received was to be the one we least expected but had hoped and prayed for. It was the one that seemingly would be left unanswered. Through a “last chance” effort, a faithful servant, Pastor Paul, obeyed God’s call to attempt one more time to see our dying friend. The door was opened, he was received with gladness and surrounded by his wife and others who may have needed to hear Don’s confession of faith. Though Don was unable to speak clearly, his nodded assent to the vital questions asked confirmed his eternal salvation and restored peace and joy to our hearts. We would again one day see our beloved friend.

The question of when Don accepted Christ still lingers; no longer out of concern, but curiosity. Like the prodigal son, it could have been in his childhood, or his 61-year journey through life. It may have been during the hearing of a testimony and the Gospel message at another good friend’s funeral last year. Perhaps it happened the moment before he called Steve asking for prayer, through the agony of his trial, or in his bed as he lay waiting to die. We do not know. Don was private or unable to pinpoint the time and did not speak of it. But this we do know: Don is saved and God will bring him home into his Savior’s arms.

I now realize that God used Don’s ordeal to bring me through a test of my own faith. I had placed my hope in Don taking the first step rather than the Lord opening his heart to Him. I had forgotten that He diligently seeks those who belong to Him. And although He would prefer we had a part in it, He is capable of doing it without our help. I spent last night praising our gracious and merciful God. I thanked Him for using so many faithful servants to remind Don of his need of Christ. His work brought confirmation to my husband that he can be an effective witness for Jesus. But I especially thanked Him for reminding me He can and will answer my prayers. He is forever faithful that way.

Like the mustard seed, my faith was small. But through this lesson, my “little faith” has grown. I praise Him for allowing me to see the "mountain" moved as He promised. And I pray my faith will continue to grow until all doubt is swept away.

Thank You, Lord. Thank You for helping me pass this test!

(We received a phone call tonight to let us know that Don is now at rest with his Lord. God answered another prayer today. We asked Him to make Don's passing peaceful and He was faithful to that request, too. Praise Him!)

Recommended reading (I have hyperlinked these passages. Just click on them to read):

Mathew 6:30; 8:26; 17:20; 21:21
Mark 6:5-6
1Corinthians 13:2
Hebrews 11:1-6; 12:2
Romans 10:9

Today Is The Day

“As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For He says, ‘In the time of My favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.’ I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.”

2Corinthians 6:1-2

Those of us who write on this blog consider ourselves to be united in the most worthy of causes. We are “fellow workers” who diligently strive to bring Christ’s message to our readers (2Tim 2:14-15). We toil here, on Facebook, in our communities and within our families in hopes that those who have yet to receive Christ will one day do so - preferably sooner than later. We have been commissioned by the “Lord of the harvest” (Luke 10:1-2) to help Him gather the fruit of His vine into the safety of His storehouses. Although our points of interest may be different, our message is the same: salvation is yours for the taking if you would only have it.

As the Apostle Paul did, we “urge” those who stubbornly refuse to receive Jesus. We are able to relate to you because we once were where you currently find yourselves. At a point in our lives a “fellow worker” approached us with the same message and we brushed it off for various reasons. We wanted to linger a while longer in the world. We doubted all or a portion of Christ’s atoning work. Or perhaps we had been deceived into believing a false and perverted gospel, one that preached lies rather than the Truth (Gal 1:6-8; 2Peter 2:1-3; 1 Tim 1:3-4; 2 Tim 3:6).

On your behalf, we are ever before God’s throne. We intercede with fervent and sincere prayers that you will not "receive God's grace in vain". We beseech Him, often with great tears of sorrow, to call you out of the world and into the safety of His arms. And we do so because we understand the consequences of the alternative. Men without Christ are at enmity with God. They are separated from Him by a vast sea of sin, and because of their sin, God is unapproachable. His face must be hidden from unsaved sinners lest His righteousness consume them (Exodus 3:5-6; 33:21-23).

Every day is the “time of (God’s) favor”. While there is still time to do so, if you cry out to Him He will hear you. I am here as a “fellow worker” of God to tell you that as long as you have breath to breathe, it is never too late to ask Him to save you. But so many of the unsaved are unwilling to do so “now”. Because God created you and established the timing of your birth, He also has ordained a day for you to physically die. However, it is the condition of your spirit that is most critical. God looks upon the unsaved sinner as dead to Him and already lost. Your life in this present world is fragile. Regardless of your age, your clock is winding down to the moment when you will have to face Him, either exposed and naked, or covered with His Son’s righteous blood. The outcome of your eternal fate solely depends upon that one critical thing. There are no second chances, pleading or debate at that juncture. His perfect justice demands it.

Therefore, we “urge” you to “contend for the faith that was once for ALL entrusted to the saints” (Jude 3). We pray you will examine your present sinful state and consider your eternal destination. Please don’t look vainly upon and reject the wonderful gift you are being offered. Our God is patient, but only to a point. For those who have not yet made a choice, we fervently pray you will realize “NOW is the time of God’s favor, NOW is the day of salvation” and run with joy into Jesus outstretched arms - today.

Timeless Encouragement

Yesterday's Spurgeon devotion touched me so deeply that I went back to it this morning and re-read it. I wanted to share it with you, particularly because of all that is going on in our nation and around the world, perhaps even within your own home. It is a reminder, a message of hope and encouragement that regardless of what the world brings, we are children of the Lord Most High. He has promised us blessings beyond anything we can imagine. But the greatest blessing is that in spite of any change we may see in our lives, He is our Father still.

I pray Spurgeon's words are deeply planted in your heart as well.

"That those things which cannot be shaken may remain." Hebrews 12:27

"Many things in our possession at the present moment can be shaken, and it ill becomes a Christian to set much store by them, for there is nothing stable under these rolling skies; change is written on all things. Yet we have certain 'things which cannot be shaken', and I invite you this evening to think about them.

If the things that can be shaken would all be taken away, you may derive real comfort from the things that cannot be shaken, which will remain. Whatever your losses have been, or may be, you enjoy present salvation. You are standing at the foot of His cross, trusting alone in the merit of Jesus' precious blood. No rise or fall of the markets can interfere with your salvation in Him. No breaking of banks, no failures, no bankruptcies can touch that. You are a child of God this evening. God is your Father. No change of circumstances can ever rob you of that. Although by losses, you are brought to poverty and stripped bare, you can say, 'He is my Father still. In my Father's house are many mansions; there, I will not be troubled.'

You have another permanent blessing, namely, the love of Jesus Christ. He Who is God and Man loves you with all the strength of His affectionate nature - nothing can affect that. The fig tree may not blossom, and the flocks may 'be cut off from the fold' (Hab 3:17). These things do not matter to the one who can sing, 'My Beloved is mine, and I am His' (Song 2:16). We cannot lose our best portion and richest heritage.

Whatever troubles come, let us act like adults. Let us show that we are not such little children as to be cast down by what may happen in this poor, fleeting state of time. Our country is Immanuel's land, and our hope is above the sky; therefore, calm as the summer's ocean, we will see the wreck of everything earthborn, yet rejoice in the God of our salvation."

"My cup runneth over..."

"My cup runneth over..."

Psalm 23:5

Is your glass half empty or half full? How do you look upon your circumstances? With pessimism or optimism? The tendency, when things are going bad, is to view our circumstances in a negative manner. We feel as though the world is unfair and has singled us out as a dumping ground for trouble and trials. But when things are going good and our lives seem on track according to the world’s standards, we assume we are right where we need to be. We give no thought to the possibility we may be right smack dab in the eye of the storm, enveloped in a false sense of peace and security. We fail to consider that the worst of the storm may only be moments away and the half-filled tipping glass could drain completely.

Mankind wants instant gratification, especially in today’s fast-paced atmosphere. If we can not have it right now, a sense of unfairness settles over us and resentment begins to build. Instead of accepting the blessings as they come, we assume God cares little for us by only half-filling our glass. Like the Israelites who wandered the desert for forty years, we view His mercies as little and trite (Exodus 15-17). We think we are owed more than what He graciously gives and grumble for more. We want a full cup of our choosing, not one that is only partially filled.

The word “cup” in Scripture is used figuratively by God. The Lord never speaks of half-filled cups. Rather, He applies the term as if the cup is full to the brim and overflowing with whatever fills it. He also leaves it to us to decide what fills our cup. The choices are clear: consolation and salvation, or drunkenness and wrath. Psalm 23 speaks of a cup overflowing with God’s kindness, His abounding and endless love for mankind. But the term can also be applied with negative connotations for if we choose to fill it with the wine of worldliness and sin and drink it to its “dregs”, the bitterness of it will sour and turn our stomachs like bitter gall (Isaiah 51:17-22).

The Apostle Paul warned the people of Corinth against drinking from the “cup of demons” while attempting to also drink from the Lord’s cup (1 Corinthians 10:21-22). One’s cup can not be half-filled with God’s righteousness and the other half with the oiliness of sin. They do not mix and the oil always floats back up to the surface. We owe our entire allegiance to God if we identify with Christ’s death. We can not lead a double life and attempt to mix our cup half with the world and half with our Christianity.

Our Lord Jesus Christ came to drink from a cup that overflowed in a torrent of sin and damnation. His cup was His crucifixion, filled with the bitter gall of the sins of all mankind and He knew He must drink it to the last drop (Matthew 26:42). John and James, in their ignorance, failed to understand this when their mother requested positions of honor and authority for them (Matthew 20:20-28). Jesus knew beforehand they would also have to drink from the cup of martyrdom, but He reinforced His teachings on what it meant to first be a servant and then accept whatever reward God chose for them with gladness and thanksgiving.

So, with what is your cup filled? Is it a half-filled cup that offers nothing except the “dregs” of indecision, sorrow and bitterness? Or is it a cup filled to the brim and overflowing with God’s sweet wine of righteousness and blessings that are spoken of in Psalm 23? It is your choice and I pray you will fill your cup wisely. And because you eventually must make the choice, one thing is certain: as Jesus did, you will one day drink it in its entirety - to the very last drop.

Christ's Garden

"I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse." Song of Solomon 5:1

"The heart of the believer is Christ's garden. He bought it with His precious blood, and He enters it and claims it as His own. A garden implies separation. It is not public property; it is not a wilderness. It is walled around or hedged in. Would that we could see the wall of separation between the church and the world made broader and stronger. It makes one sad to hear Christians saying, 'Well, there is no harm in this; there is no harm in that,' thus getting as near to the world as possible. Grace is at a low ebb in the soul that can even raise the question of how far it may go in worldly conformity.

A garden is a place of beauty. It far surpasses the wild, uncultivated lands. The genuine Christian must seek to be more excellent in his life than the best moralist, because Christ's garden should produce the best flowers in all the world. Even the best is poor compared with what Christ deserves; let us not put Him off with withering, dwarfed plants. The rarest, richest, choicest lilies and roses should bloom in the place that Jesus calls His own. The garden is a place of growth. The saints are not to remain undeveloped, always mere buds and blossoms. We should 'grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ' (2 Pet 3:18). Growth should be rapid where Jesus is the Gardener and where the Holy Spirit is the dew from above.

A garden is a place of retirement. The Lord Jesus Christ would have us reserve our souls as a place in which He can manifest Himself in ways that He does not reveal Himself to the world. Oh, that Christians were more reserved, that they would keep their hearts more closely guarded for Christ! We often worry and trouble ourselves, like Martha, with much serving, so that we do not have the room for Christ that Mary had, and we do not sit at His feet as we should.

May the Lord grant the sweet showers of His grace to water His garden this day."

(Charles H. Spurgeon, "Evening by Evening")

Benjamin Netanyahu's Speech

I was a little more than perturbed with the media, including Fox News, for their lack of interest in Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu's, speech before the Knesset. Fox had me sitting on the edge of my seat with their "Alerts" on the impending speech. I wanted to hear it. I wanted to know that Netanyahu was still firmly committed to securing Israel's sovereignty, that he was not going to cow tow to Obama's and the world's demands on dividing Jerusalem and giving up the vitally important Gaza Strip. But Fox gave him enough air time to give his introduction, then switched to "talking heads" that offered me nothing but the same old rhetoric.

I am grateful to Joel Rosenberg for posting within his latest "Flash Traffic" newsletter the speech in its entirety. I recommend that everyone read it and consider what is said between the lines. It is apparent that Netanyahu is not wavering. He wants peace, but not under the conditions the world is pressing upon Israel. Perhaps the most telling portion of his speech is his conclusion:

"Let us realize the vision of the prophet Isaiah, who in Jerusalem 2,700 years ago said: 'Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, and they shall learn war no more.' With God's help, we will know no more war. We will know peace."

God warned Israel of the "prophets and priests alike" that predicted peace rather than addressing their sin: "They dress the wound of My people as though it were not serious. ' Peace, peace,' they say, when there is no peace." (Jer 6:13-14)

Peace will come to Israel. But not in the way Israel or the world demands it. At the end of Isaiah, the true conclusion to the past and present turmoil is spoken of by God:

"For this is what the LORD says:

'I will extend peace to her like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream; you will nurse and be carried on her arm and dandled on her knees. As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.'

When you see this, your heart will rejoice and you will flourish like grass; the hand of the LORD will be made known to His servants, but His fury will be shown to His foes.

See, the LORD is coming with fire, and His chariots are like a whirlwind; He will bring down His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire. For with fire and with His sword the LORD will execute judgment upon all men, and many will be those slain by the LORD.

...'(Israel) will proclaim my glory among the nations...'(and) all mankind will come and bow down before Me,' says the LORD." (Isaiah 66:12-16,19b,23b)

Pray for the nation of Israel.


http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1244371096849&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FPrinter

A Labor Of Love

For Dad, who learned from the Master Gardener.

“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

Spring had finally come. Not the early frost-breaking, slushy, and sloppy Spring, where each step on the thawing ground packs clay-filled mud on the bottom of your shoes and makes you taller with each step. The last drift of snow had finally thawed and blades of green grass poked their heads above the brown earth and reached toward the warmth of the sun. The bulbs that had been planted in the fall forced their first spike of life through cracks in the wet soil, defying the still-chilly nights and knowing their time had come to burst forth. The trees filled with birds who had been summoned back to their nesting grounds, their twitterpated voices calling to one another in search of a suitable mate. Spring had finally come, and with it life began anew.

Like the bulbs that had been awakened from their wintry slumber, a man stirs himself and gazes out his window at the garden spot that awaits him. Encouraged by the passing of one season to another, he dons his light jacket and boots and steps out into the orchestra of spring, ready to be a willing participant in writing the score of spring’s sonata of renewal. With a shovel in his hand, he looks upon the work needing to be done, assessing each weed, each dead stalk of crops past, a pebble or two that had worked its way to the surface, and hard-packed clods of earth that needed breaking and softening. Placing the sharpened shovel edge against the soil, he turns the first spade full. The earth releases its rich and pungent aroma into the spring air. Pausing for just a moment, he stoops down and cups a handful of the earth and brings it to his face, breathing deeply its sweet scent. “Here is life,” his mind tells him. “Here is where it all begins and ends, only to begin again.”

Pulling himself from his musings, the man sets himself to the task at hand: preparing the soil of his garden for the seeds he will plant. His calloused and time-worn hands lovingly toil as the sun passes overhead until at last, he has tilled and broken each inch of his garden spot. His shoulders ache from winter’s idleness - a reminder he is no longer a young man - and a blister appears on his palm as he places his tools back in the shed.

“Small sacrifices,” he thinks to himself, for his mind rushes forward to when his garden will only require his aid in pulling a weed that will choke, and feeding and slaking the thirst of his growing crops. He looks forward to the long summer days as he sits in his chair with satisfaction and a cup of coffee in hand, watching the seeds grow.

These small sacrifices will not go unrewarded, a voice tells him.

In his mind’s eye, he looks ahead to the fall when the garden’s bounty will be lovingly preserved in colorful jars and stored on shelves in the cupboard for winter sustenance. His mouth waters with the anticipation of the first bite of a sun-ripened tomato, a crisp and refreshing cucumber, and the sweetness of buttered corn as its juices dribble down one’s chin. There is much to be thankful for in the small sacrifices of a labor of love.

As his stout, but weary, legs carry him to the backdoor of the house, the man pauses and turns his eyes one last time on the freshly turned earth. The sun has reached its western bed behind the mountain, but its rays stretch up like arms in praise to the heavens, a reminder of its promise to return the next day. Looking up through the trees into the fading light, the man gives thanks to God for the changing of the seasons and for allowing him one more year of labor. He knows that there will be a time not so far away that he, too, will return to the earth from whence he came. Like the fruit that is yielded from his garden so lovingly planted, God will pick him from the vine of His garden and with gentleness and love untold, preserve him in His storehouses for eternity.

With a thankful and prepared heart, the man turns and enters his house, only temporarily closing the door to the garden outside. With his Lord by his side sharing in his work, tomorrow he will plant, the next days he will tend, until at last he can once again rest as one season passes to another.