When the farmer grafts a branch onto his tree, or his plant, or his vine, he does so with great hope. He doesn't do it grudgingly; it is a decided choice of his. He wants to graft this branch, and he wants to see what it will do - mainly, bear fruit. He doesn't graft it doubtfully or skeptically or with disapproval for the branch; he feels that the branch holds great promise now that it is grafted into the sturdy stock of the vine or tree, and he also knows that the success of the branch largely depends on how well the farmer takes care of that graft. The farmer has an invested interest in the graft; he went to the work of finding the branch, preparing it, grafting it, wrapping it and tying it tight to the vine. He would never graft it and then leave it alone, never checking on it to see if the graft is taking. He gives that graft everything it could ever possibly need so that it will grow strong and fruitful.
-"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser...I am the vine, you are the branches..." John 15
-"For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree." Romans 11
When my little branchy heart is convicted and wanting to turn back to my Father-Farmer, why would I ever doubt His heart to want my good?
***Thoughts from Andrew Murray's book, Abiding in Christ.
Sunday, November 8, 2015
Monday, October 26, 2015
Psalm 119
"In Your steadfast love, give me life;
that I may keep the testimonies of Your mouth."
Psalm 119:88
"In Your steadfast love, give me life" ... so that I can do what I want and be happy?
"In Your steadfast love, give me" ... the things I want because I want them?
How often is my prayer, "...give me life; that I may keep the testimonies of Your mouth"?
It would appear as though the writer's focus here is the testimonies of the LORD; they are his concern, his priority. What the LORD speaks is important to him; His words carry significant weight in the writer's world.
A testimony is generally a statement or declaration given with the understanding that it is assumed to be true. More specifically a testimony is uttered under oath in court. Most specifically in the Bible the Ten Commandments are called the testimony. The testimonies of the LORD in verse 88 would be the Ten Commandments, yes - a visible component of God's covenant with His people at Mount Sinai - but they would also be statements that He has made elsewhere throughout Scripture that we can claim as statements of complete truth.
"In Your steadfast love..." The same God who spoke testimonies also gives steadfast love. The testimonies are not apart from His love. The testimonies are given in love.
May my prayer more and more be "In Your steadfast love, give me life; that I may keep the testimonies of Your mouth." Give me life, strength, vitality to cling to Your truthful words, to walk out my days according to what You have said is right - because You are a God of steadfast love.
Monday, July 20, 2015
Guiding Promises
This morning I appreciated reading from Elisabeth Elliot's book, A Slow and Certain Light. In one passage she quotes verses that speak poignantly to me in this season of my life. When sometimes I feel very much like I am standing at a crossroads in the middle of a forest with fog rolling close around and no signs posted to show me where to go, these verses stick.
"If you can't see the way before you:
'I will lead the blind in a way that they know not, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground.' (Is. 42:16))
"If no way looks possible at all:
'And I will make my mountains a way, and my highway shall be raised up.' (Is. 49:11)
"If you are confused or distressed:
'I will lead him and requite him with comfort.' (Is. 57:18)
"If you falter or are fearing failure:
'Thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling…?'" (Ps. 56:13)
'I will lead the blind in a way that they know not, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground.' (Is. 42:16))
"If no way looks possible at all:
'And I will make my mountains a way, and my highway shall be raised up.' (Is. 49:11)
"If you are confused or distressed:
'I will lead him and requite him with comfort.' (Is. 57:18)
"If you falter or are fearing failure:
'Thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling…?'" (Ps. 56:13)
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