by Janis Cox
Our front garden was a disaster! What had been carefully planted five years ago had become overgrown and was not a pretty sight. There were even three dying bushes and the deer had made havoc on the Hostas and lilies. Something had to be done.
With gusto and a new-found passion and energy, my husband and I tackled the job. We weeded, pruned, hoed and raked until we had the garden back under control.
It reminded me, as I hoed, that our lives could be like this garden. When we first find Christ – we are new Christians and the light in us shines brightly. Sometimes, though we stop tending to our spiritual needs – LIFE happens and stuff gets in our way.
We neglect to study, to pray, to praise and thank God.
Our lives get complicated and like our garden, overgrown and weedy. Our light can no longer shine as brightly.
Pruning is necessary and God is our gardener. (click to tweet)
“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,NIV).
In order to be a strong and sturdy Christian we need that pruning.
Let us help God by clearing away the rumble in our lives and focus on the one who planted us.
A Prayer for Today
Lord, we all have weeds around us, and branches that need your pruning. Help us to discern how to make our lives fruitful for you. Give us wisdom to know where and what needs to be done. In Jesus’ name we pray. AMEN.
Janis Cox
Janis Cox – Author and Illustrator
Janis Cox is a wife, mother, grandmother, a sister and friend. She has been married for almost 41 years to a wonderful, caring and patient husband – they have three grown children who are married; they have 5 grandchildren and a new one on the way.
She is a writer, watercolour artist and person who always is involved in doing something. She has her fingers in many pies – but all of them are delicious. A friend once told her that she saw a vision of her – with a whole bunch of coloured balloons and she tried to capture each one of them.
As a former public school teacher she loved to write poems for her kids. With this background she has now published her first illustrated children’s book, Tadeo Turtle.
She is a member of The Word Guild and Inscribe. You can find her at her website www.janiscox.com.
Janis,
Your blog post shows how some of the most profound insights can come from very simple observations. I loved your analogy of how our spiritual life can become overgrown.
I found your insight interesting that although God is the “master pruner”, there are certainly areas in our own control that we can prune that are not edifying to our spiritual lives which make our spiritual growth look messy and overgrown.
Thank you for sharing!
Karen, I agree that Janis has offered us great insights in a simple analogy.
Karen,
Thanks for your comments. I enjoy letting God show me life applications from His Word. Since I have started gardening again, it is even clearer that to grow in our faith we must be pruned. Yesterday I pruned some wild raspberries and will see what happens.
Blessings,
Janis
We spent a couple of hours working in our yard today too, and you are so right, it takes continual maintenance.
Yes, Elizabeth! I’m not sure why I’m always surprised by how much physical effort is required to work in the garden! 🙂
Both our spiritual lives and our physical lives take continual maintenance.
Hi Elizabeth,
This afternoon is front garden time. Last year we took out some “wild” shrubs. They had gone wild and woody. Then yesterday I planted strawberries to fill the gap.
Thanks for coming over to visit my friend, Kimberley.
Blessings,
Janis
Janis, I look forward to visiting again when the strawberries are ready to harvest. 🙂