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Sunday, June 25, 2017

APATHETIC GARDENER






     I walked behind my rugged, hard working father as he dropped the seeds into the rows of furrowed soil.  I had walked behind the wagon after the first plowing throwing rocks into the wagon, rocks that would hinder the roots  from sinking deep into the rich black soil of our 80 acre farm.  He let me help but I knew I only did what was expected and had no love for the process , no connection with the earth he had worked so hard to cultivate and clear.   I dropped my seeds into the ground counting them and spacing them as instructed.   He worked long days lifting, mixing, smoothing cement on his knees and then came home to do the work of garden and farm.  He found purpose and joy in seeing the earth bring forth food and cows grow strong and fat to put meat on our table.  I did not.  I found the garden and farm to be the work to get through before real joy and freedom could be enjoyed.  So I helped but did not care.  I think I may  have trampled as many seeds as I planted, I may have left more rocks than I should and probably let many beans go to wood in my haste to hurry the picking.  My help may have been harm and my sloth and careless work decreased the yield and hindered the soil in which it grew.  I am not sure he knew my neglect but he always encouraged my help and impatiently instructed, though I cared only to know the task and get it done.
     And now in our own family soul garden, some of these helpers follow behind with hearts unattached and joy unfelt, going through the motions of planting spiritual seeds.  This apathy is really no apathy at all but a silent opposition to the sower and His garden.  They are scattering out more than they have gathered in from detached labors.  They have trampled seeds with  boots dirty on the outside but no strength or will to work in the flesh that fills them.  Some have neglected beans  at harvest time until they become wooden from our outward show without inward devotion.  But they think themselves as I did, good helpers because they have not said no, have not burned fields or set locust loose on His carefully tended garden. There are many other ways to hinder growth and fruit.  But to not love the work is to not share the gardeners heart.  Choosing to leave the rocks and weeds that he would have cleaned out, reveals a  contempt for the work. They walk behind until they are off this soul farm and can go their own way.  They stumble where they could have walked and scatter where they could have gathered ,and most of all they serve a master of another field without committing to his cause.  He need not hire, for their apathy does his work for him.  But the sincere Farmer does not make them stay beyond their time, but lets them leave to find other work. For he knows they can not be swayed to appreciate His soil and toil without experiencing the harsh master they unknowingly serve. He will let them see the crops they will grow without a Farmers  heart.  I too, left the farm to find a joy without the Gardener,to find the ugly crop of unquenching thirst and even death, stumbling over the rocks my apathy left and choking in the weeds I had neglected to pull.  I saw my apathy exposed as stubborn rebellious soil inside a pot that bore the picture of  a farmers friend.  But He bid me back to His planting, tending work  where I now share His love for the crops He tends. When I stumble now, I know his steady arm and find Him ready to restore me to my work.  And they can too. He is still carefully planting and plowing welcoming them to share His work and His joy in following  behind with a heart of flesh and not of stone.  And those of our crop who have found this fleshly heart and have the Farmer's vision are sowing seeds of hope and comfort, nourishing my  heart and mind even while they toil for the Master Gardener.

The ways of the Lord are right;
the righteous walk in them,
but the rebellious stumble in them.  Hosea 14:9
He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters.  Luke 11:23


Monday, June 5, 2017

THE GIFT

       
                                               


                                                                       

    If I could give a gift to the young people  in my house,  it would be the gift of authority.  The enemy has deceived with the lie that we cannot control our minds, our bodies and our spirit.  Worries about where mind and thoughts will take them, keep the precious heart living in fear and afraid to risk stillness and nonconformity.  I know because I hear the lies in my mind too.  In my gift wrapped box I would like to put a few symbols to empower them and me.
         A rock to stand on.  A sure foundation,  for the little foot slips when it stands on an unsure foundation.  And you can't take a step without a solid place for your feet.  A place that does not move.  A place you can come back to if your step is misplaced and you need to start again.  The Love rock is always there and will always be firm , never shifting with opinion, shrinking with failure or disappearing in weakness. 
        A heart to choose.  And when this heart was lifted from the bow topped box it would reveal itself to be the heart of a lion.  And gazing at this heart, they would see that the power to chose and to will a change is theirs.  Thoughts don't happen to us, we create them from the choices to listen and watch.  And the lion in the heart would roar with power to demonstrate theirs.  And vulnerability to their own mind would flee and be replaced with resolve to control and to submit those thoughts and turn them into victorious adventures and holy acts of courageous deeds that steer their ship to accomplish what they must to give such gifts to others in return.  And I imagine what it would be like for the vulnerable victim to become the humbled and Spirit empowered master of their thoughts , choosing work and direction and self control.  And imagine their surprise when the satisfaction of accomplishment dims their fears and empowers them more! 
     A cotton cloud to give them hope.  And this cotton cloud would cause their gaze to rise up to see the reality of a much longer lasting , worthy place and time. If only for a time, they would see the temporary and hollow walls of this world in comparison to the eternal fortress of the real king.  Would that it empower them to risk the things that their earthly world says are best and most.  Popularity would become second and third to virtue, exciting moments would seem but a weak performance compared to the monstrous celebration that awaits, and the most treasured relationship  as comforting as it is, would pale in comparison to the one that embraces us forever.   We will not risk if we do not see a glorious reason.  And if we can not risk this world for something greater, we cannot truly live abundantly. 
       Don't let life happen to you, as I sometimes do,  sweet offspring.  No one, not even a mother, can truly fix truth in your heart, but only assure you of its presence and clarify its nature.  For you have been given power and authority to submit and dare and do for the supreme authority, the Lion of Judah, the eternal rock,  your eternal family.  And the strength and hope they give can break through the lie of helpless hopeless victim to over comer.  May I and you take charge and live higher!

 For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes  the world, our faith. I Jn 5:4

   Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. Rom 8:37