John 15:1-11
Ah the humble honey bee. Going from flower to flower doing his thing as God intended and giving us such beautiful flowers and honey. As the joke goes, why did the bee buzz? You'd buzz too if someone stole your honey and 'nectar'. I know don't give up your day job. But the humble bumble bee is cooperating with God's plan and doing what God intended him to do. I enjoy immensely some of our local honey and wonder what social sin has society committed in causing the wholesale death of bee colonies that the news has reported these last few years.
I like to look at what the bee does as a kind of pruning. An action (on the bees part) that produces fertile growth. God prunes us, if we are willing, in countless ways. But we must be willing. Just like the metaphor of God being the potter and we the clay, you must be willing to be molded. And so you must be willing to be pruned or pollinated. In each example there is an action and a reaction, a law of physics that God created and works by.
I suppose the inherent problem with all this is our willingness to be pollinated, molded or pruned. You can see the beauty that comes in flowers. You can see the beauty that results from a potter par excellence. And you can see what beauty can develop in a plant in growth and fruit when you look at a bonsai tree or set your gaze on an orchard of apples , peaches or pears. The 'fruit' of pruning is delicious and sustaining.
Are you willing to be pruned? Yesterday, I attended a day long seminar for my job. I learned a great deal. I was 'pruned' a little, a gentle manipulation of my brain so I could learn new things and grow. I submitted myself to this endeavor, I knew what who and what was taking place. There are however 'pruners' out there, perhaps not unlike a bee buzzing about, that act on God's behalf and help prune us all day long, all our lives. Again, if we are willing. We must be open to the process. God's hand is everywhere so every encounter with a person, every situation in life because a gift and offers the opportunity of growth (of being 'pruned') by an agent of God, maybe even an angel.
Sometimes I just want to get through the day and get home to my husband and adorable cat. In rushing to do this I am likely missing out on great deal that I am experiencing or can experience all day long. It is possible I am not present to what is going on focusing more on the future, however enjoyable. By living too much in the future, I am denying God's opportunity to prune me in the present.
Faith in God requires a submission to be pruned. That happens 24/7/365. It happens in faith and in love in every transaction and interaction of the day, with friends and strangers alike. But we must be present and we must be willing. Perhaps it is not an easy thing to do to submit yourself to such a task not knowing entirely where it will lead you. I'd suggest looking around and seeing the hand of God and trust that in the things that He created, the beauty and majesty of what will be created in you will be at least as beautiful as that.
So I say, prune me baby! Prune me my most wonderful and loving God.
I like to look at what the bee does as a kind of pruning. An action (on the bees part) that produces fertile growth. God prunes us, if we are willing, in countless ways. But we must be willing. Just like the metaphor of God being the potter and we the clay, you must be willing to be molded. And so you must be willing to be pruned or pollinated. In each example there is an action and a reaction, a law of physics that God created and works by.
I suppose the inherent problem with all this is our willingness to be pollinated, molded or pruned. You can see the beauty that comes in flowers. You can see the beauty that results from a potter par excellence. And you can see what beauty can develop in a plant in growth and fruit when you look at a bonsai tree or set your gaze on an orchard of apples , peaches or pears. The 'fruit' of pruning is delicious and sustaining.
Are you willing to be pruned? Yesterday, I attended a day long seminar for my job. I learned a great deal. I was 'pruned' a little, a gentle manipulation of my brain so I could learn new things and grow. I submitted myself to this endeavor, I knew what who and what was taking place. There are however 'pruners' out there, perhaps not unlike a bee buzzing about, that act on God's behalf and help prune us all day long, all our lives. Again, if we are willing. We must be open to the process. God's hand is everywhere so every encounter with a person, every situation in life because a gift and offers the opportunity of growth (of being 'pruned') by an agent of God, maybe even an angel.
Sometimes I just want to get through the day and get home to my husband and adorable cat. In rushing to do this I am likely missing out on great deal that I am experiencing or can experience all day long. It is possible I am not present to what is going on focusing more on the future, however enjoyable. By living too much in the future, I am denying God's opportunity to prune me in the present.
Faith in God requires a submission to be pruned. That happens 24/7/365. It happens in faith and in love in every transaction and interaction of the day, with friends and strangers alike. But we must be present and we must be willing. Perhaps it is not an easy thing to do to submit yourself to such a task not knowing entirely where it will lead you. I'd suggest looking around and seeing the hand of God and trust that in the things that He created, the beauty and majesty of what will be created in you will be at least as beautiful as that.
So I say, prune me baby! Prune me my most wonderful and loving God.
‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.
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