Stay

I was doing the spring clean-up thing today in our landscape. Twenty years in the nursery business doesn't make it any more fun, maybe just a little quicker and easier. We just moved to our present home last September so I haven't spent much time working on the outside of our house. There is a big island in our front yard. It has several mature trees and some HUGE rocks and a small pond. There are all kinds of shrubs, perennials and herbs planted throughout the island. I was pruning, trimming, weeding and raking out the fallen leaves from last fall. As I was working in the landscape John 15 just kept coming to my mind. I understand it so well but applying it, not so much.

John 15:1-5
¹"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ²He 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. ³You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. ⁵"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.

God is our gardener. He gets his hands dirty working in our lives. It is the hands of God that plant, water, weed and prune. Hands that are intimately familiar with the dirty soil of this world. Hands that dig in deep, that hold up straight, that carefully inspect and provide every need. God does not garden from a distance. It is in his intimate presence that we grow.

He then watches and works, cuts and prunes. Cutting and pruning causes pain and loss. Sometimes this seems so cruel and careless, but it is essential. Fruitless branches steal nutrients and energy that the rest of the plant needs. Healthy, fruitful branches need to be kept in check so they remain strong and in turn produce more fruit.

Next comes our job. It couldn't be any simpler. Stay connected to Jesus, the vine. STAY. Before we go, we stay. Before we grow we stay. The Vine knows exactly what it must do. The Gardner knows exactly what he must do. All the branch needs to do is stay. It is when we stay that we will know. Our job couldn't be any simpler. All we have to do is stay. Remain, abide, stay. It's amazing how I struggle and strive and stray when all I've been asked to do is stay. The promise is clear. Stay with me, connect with me, draw your life from me and you will grow and bear fruit. When that happens we have something of worth to offer this world. We have grown, we have changed. We are not supposed to be the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. That's God's job!
Our job is to stay in Him, grow and give what has been freely given to us.

The Gardner's job is never done. Just when things begin to grow and bring life, disease enters in, weeds sprout up, rain doesn't come, and to top it off, a dog comes and pees all over me. It's not just the elements and the environment. I know I don't help much. I refuse to stay still. I refuse to grow. I refuse to remain. I refuse to trust the gardener.

Why am I so intent on taking care of myself when I'm told I can do nothing apart from Him? Why do I work so hard trying to create a life that is safe and comfortable? Why do words like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control seem more like good ideas than actual realities in my life? Why do I find it so difficult to trust the one who planted me and desires what's best for me? Why don't I just stay?

The Call To Die

Death has been on the forefront of my mind over the past week. As I age it begins to become more of a reality that I will not live in this physical body forever. The thought of my physical death made me think of the eternal life that has been given to my soul. As I thanked God for that life, I again realized that it took the death of Jesus for me to have eternal life. His death gives me life. Death brings life? It seems so strange to me when I think about it and I've been thinking about it alot lately.

Last Thursday night when I was writing my thoughts down about my lovely wife it hit me how she also had died to give me life. She had to put to death all the hurt, pain, anger, bitterness, and resentment that I had caused her to feel because of my sin. She died to all of that and allowed Christ's love to shine through her. This is the first time I ever experienced the love of God. As a result of her dying to herself I accepted Christ and received eternal life. Her death gives me life.

Last Friday I was thinking about all this and eating my lunch. It then hit me that the turkey in my sandwich died to give me life too. What is true in the spiritual world is also true in the physical! My mind then goes crazy about how all these things have to die to give me life. I thought of all my basic needs. I need food, shelter, clothing and love to live. It takes the death of an animal, plant or person for me to have all four. I know this is not real deep or a revolutionary discovery but I had never thought of it before.

I then begin to think about what had to die in order to bring life to the things that had to die to bring me life. I am so weird. I began to realize that it is a life cycle. Everything that is alive will die and as a result bring life to something else. The worm will die to give life to the fish.(you don't catch 'em all) The fish will die to give life to the fisherman. The fisherman will die and give life to the worms. See what I mean?

Seriously though, this made me think long and hard. How do I need to die so I can give life to someone else? What do I need to die to so I can really live? How can I be sure that when this physical body dies it will have given more life than it took?

This is another way I need to model Christ in my life. I need to live for the sole purpose of dying. I need to die so I may bring life to others. Jesus is our perfect example.

The Road

I have felt led to revisit the scripture about the two believers traveling on the road to Emmaus. As Hagg and I were on our way home from sending off the men for their Emmaus weekend last Thursday, I told him I was going to go home and read it. I have read, reread, studied and meditated on it daily for a week now. I would like to share a few things that stood out to me.

Luke 24:13-35

First off I notice Cleopas is not on the journey alone. I relate that to our spiritual journey. We are not meant to walk it alone. Our faith walk is not meant to be lonely or a solitary journey. We need fellow believers to walk along side of us. I need my men's group and small group to study the scriptures with me. I need to share my points and listen to theirs. This helps me to grow and to be stretched. I need to talk with fellow believers about the day to day things in life. They give me new insights, fresh perspectives, and deeper meanings to the events in my life.

In verse 21 Cleopas said, "but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel." I immediately questioned why they had hoped and not trusted. The KJV set me straight. That was the only version in my parallel Bible that used the word trust. Are hope and trust the same thing? I would love to hear your thoughts on that one.

These two travelers made it clear to me that knowing does not always translate to understanding. They had seen Jesus and heard what was to happen yet could not understand what was taking place. They knew yet doubted. Sounds an awful lot like me! Sometimes I think I should have all the answers and understand all that's been put in front of me. These people walked with Jesus and didn't have all the answers and didn't understand all that was happening in and around them. I often need revelation from God on things that I know but don't understand. Or is it that I just don't know and can't understand that I don't know? Ha! Love to hear your thoughts on that one too.

I found it comforting that these two people were struggling and Jesus came and walked with them. Christ not only walked with them He spoke and joined their conversation. He applied the words of scripture to their situation. When we face doubt, fear, and pain He is there with us. Christ brings comfort and clarity as we journey through life's struggles.

Finally, these two travelers recognize who Jesus is. Their spiritual eyes were opened. As soon as they realize this is Jesus, He disappears from their sight. I seem to experience this same thing in my journey. God is working in my life and I am blind to it. By the time I recognize Him working, He disappears from my sight. I then say, " How could I have not seen God moving and working?" The answer is simple after the fact. I was focused on my problem and not Him. In the end all I can do is praise God and testify to His love and faithfulness just like Cleopas and his friend.

The road we travel is hilly and curvy, full of obstacles and hazards. I thank God I'm not traveling alone.

Retreat Story: Part 2

We arrive at KD Guest Ranch and move our stuff into the cabins. They are more like suites than cabins. This is not roughin' it by any means. We then all gather upstairs in the lodge and just share some personal info to get to know one another. I knew most of these guys on at least a shallow level except for the two younger men. Jeremy (back center) was to lead us in worship and he brought his friend Todd (kneeling right) to join him for the weekend. After introductions and a few announcements from Hagg (middle row 2nd from right) we watched a video to set the direction of our weekend. Two minutes into the video it hits me like a ton of bricks that I left everything I needed for a demonstration back home. Somewhere in the rush and my head feelin like a balloon I walked out without them. My lovely wife to the rescue. (see her story @ www.graftedbygrace.blogspot.com) Clay (back row right) then shared about the background and history of communion and then we shared Holy Communion together to begin the weekend. We head back to the cabins for food and laughs which were headlined by Rod (middle row second from left) and his ever famous Cookie story. It makes me laugh just thinkin of it. I lasted till 2 am. Up @ 7, read our devotional and head for grub @ 8. (scrambled eggs, taters, sausage, biscuits, oj, coffee. Too bad I couldn't taste it.) Great open discussion about our devotional followed breakfast. Here is a glimpse of our devotional.

"You will have to resist Christ in order to remain out of the will of God. What is it God wants to do in you? Have you allowed Him to complete what He has begun? He will not force you to recieve all that He has for your life. If God's work has not been brought to fruition in you, it is not that Christ has not been diligently working toward that end. Rather, you may need to release areas of your life to Him and be as determined to see God's work in you completed as Christ is."

Wow! Ouch! A great discussion followed with some real transparency. Every man shared and a lot was thrown out on the table. This was some GOOD stuff happening. Men being open and real. Not easily found in today's world.

We were then led in a time of worship by Jeremy. This is a a young man that understands what true worship is. He is wise beyond his years. He shared his heart and I was amazed and touched by his words and his God given gift. In times where worship is often thought of as just singing songs this young man understands it's a condition of our hearts. It is how we live our lives in everyday, ordinary cicumstances and situations. Jeremy took us to the heart of worship and we were all blessed. How awesome for a young college student to sacrifice his time to pour his heart out to a bunch of old guys. He was such a blessing and a source of encouragement to me. I pray our paths cross many times in our walks of faith.

There is so much more to share. I guess there will be part 3. Click on picture to biggie size us. : )