I don’t have much of a green thumb, but I’ve worked to improve it in the last few years. All that to say, I’m elated when anything I plant or “tend to” grows and thrives.
Recently, I noticed some azaleas, that were planted when we first moved to this house, that had become sickly looking. There were some blooms, but the overall plant had lost some leaves and just didn’t look “healthy”.
My husband and I had hired a company to do some major landscaping in one part of our yard. One of the ladies from that project had stayed behind to inspect some of the work. I had already learned she was an “expert” in all things plant-related so as we were chatting, I asked her to take a look at our puny azaleas in front of our dining room window.
All the other azaleas in our yard seemed to be thriving; they looked lovely and were growing and producing beautiful fuchsia blooms.
But the ones in the area up close to our house looked as if they were dying and had few blooms. She immediately recognized and diagnosed the problem. The issue was either a fungus or aphids that had somewhat taken over the azaleas. It was obvious she was familiar with this problem and knew exactly what to do. She advised me, and I spent the next few weeks following her recommendations.
First, I needed to cut away all the dead and brown leaves. This step proved to be much more time-consuming than I originally thought as much of the dead/brown areas were connected to green growth. As I cut away the dead areas, I was careful not to disturb what seemed like good growth.
After I pruned the entire plant, I was to purchase Neem oil and spray the affected areas daily. I did both of these steps to her specifications.
At first, I just sprayed the affected areas. But I noticed that the sickly-looking blooms and branches had spread to the healthier areas as well.
I got on this project immediately as I didn’t want to lose these pale pink azaleas. Instead of just spraying the Neem oil lightly, I doused the entire plant and truly almost bathed it in this Need oil. In just a few weeks, I was amazed at the difference.
I wish I had taken pictures of the “before” and “after”.
I was thrilled and amazed with the results of my pruning and how the Neem oil had worked so successfully!
As I stood back gazing at the stark difference in the “before” plant and the “current/after” plant, I couldn’t help but think of the spiritual analogy.
Each of us as human beings is infected with sin. It permeates who we are and affects our thinking, attitudes, words and actions. It may start out as pride or some other seemingly “small sin”. But eventually, if left unchecked, it will spread to more areas. Sometimes we notice it in others before we recognize it in ourselves. But just like with the azalea, if not dealt with and “treated”, sin will keep growing and take over the entire human heart, body and mind.
God is our Master or Expert Pruner. Just like my friend who was a Master Gardener and knew about all things plants, God is even more intimately familiar with us. Because He created us, He knows which parts to be cut away or sprayed with His righteousness or the truths of His Word. He doesn’t do it out of vengeance or meanness, but He prunes us as an act of love.
I sprayed my azaleas and cut away the dead parts because I love the pink blooms and the entire plant. I didn’t want to see this precious and costly plant wither or die! God LOVES us so much more than I love my pale pink azaleas. He loved us so much and didn’t want to see sin ravage us, cause us pain/sorrow or leave us without Him. And He sure doesn’t want us to experience hell – and be without Him and in pain/suffering. He didn’t love from afar, but came up close and personal when He had Jesus put on flesh and bones and come to earth to die in our place.
His gift of sacrifice on the cross is THE ONLY remedy for our problem.
I couldn’t spray fertilizer, weed killer, or some generic product on my azaleas; it had to be Neem oil. There was only ONE solution for the fungus/aphid problem.
Today you hear Oprah, other celebrities and even some TV evangelists tout that there are numerous ways to get to God and experience Him. But the Bible is clear about this issue.
There’s only one solution to our sin problem – it’s confessing to God that you are a sinner; further, it’s confessing that you believe Jesus is His Son who died on the cross and took punishment that was meant for you. It’s accepting the free gift that God offers through His Son, Jesus. And once that takes place, knowing that you can come into God’s presence as His child…because He no longer sees your sin, but He sees the righteousness of Jesus. These very words came out of Jesus’ mouth and are recorded in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
He convicts and allows circumstances in our lives or trials that test our faith and conform us further into the image of His Son. That can be the “cutting away” or the “pruning”. It’s not always easy, comfortable or welcome. But it’s necessary to get us into a right relationship with Him…and make us “bloom” for Him in a way that reflects His glory to others.
When we read His Word, He teaches, guides, convicts and shows us areas that need to be cut back or that are hindering our growth.
Only through the power of His Holy Spirit, that comes to live inside of us when we accept Jesus as Savior/Lord, does He provide strength, power, guidance and wisdom to know how to “thrive and bloom” for Him.
A few questions to ponder:
Are you connected to the Master Gardener? Do you believe He made you and sent His Son, Jesus, to die for you? Have you accepted this free gift of salvation and acknowledged to Him that you’re a sinner in need of His saving grace?
If you know God through His son, Jesus, what area of your life needs pruning? Your tongue? Your priorities? Your attitude?
If you’re going through difficult circumstances right now (and may feel like you’re being pruned), what are you asking God:
Why? Or
What are you trying to teach me so I can better “bloom” for You?
