Drennan - Devotions from the garden : finding peace and rest in your hurried life

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Devotions from the Garden

2015 by Thomas Nelson

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ISBN-13: 978-0-7180-3050-6

ISBN-13: 978-0-7180-3880-9 (eBook)

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

PHILIPPIANS 3:2021 NKJV

P erennial bulbs produce such gorgeous plants and flowers year after year that its hard to believe their unsightly, humble beginnings.

Bulbs originate as somewhat withered-looking balls, some with fine, hairy roots extending outward, and others with crackly, dry skin. On the inside of each is a small bud, protected by those ugly outer layers. If you were to set these bulbs on a shelf, they would stay lifeless and be purposeless. But when the fall season arrives and we bury them, we set the stage for something miraculous to occur. We will witness the complete transformation of our ugly bulbs.

Upon the first hints of springwhen days are a bit longer and the snow is meltingspecks of green begin to dot the soil. Each day the warmer sun coaxes and calls, Come on! Come out! until finally the seedlings push through the dirt, the leaves emerge, and the stage is set for the tiny flower buds to sprout and open. At long last, beautiful masterpieces open up, sharing their vibrant color for all to see. The cold ground has given birth to these explosions of joy that greet the new season.

Year after year these lovely miracles reappear. New flower buds spread rainbows of color and joy as if to remind us that they werent asleep or dead in the ground, that they had been in a season of transformation. After being swaddled in rich soil, protected from cold winter temperatures, watered with nourishing rain, and fed with the warm, bright sun, the ugly bulbs eventually emerge as something new and beautiful, unmistakable evidence of their transformation.

Maybe you feel more like a dormant bulb than a radiant blossom. You may feel lifeless, covered in dry, crackly layers of sin as the harshness of winter bears down on you. If thats the case, take heart and find hope in Gods promises for you. In due season He will clothe you in sparkling joy and renewed hope; He will trade His beauty for the apparent ashes of your life, and others will see His transformation of you, His beloved child.

If you have bulbs in your yard, dig one up today. Or buy some new ones. Before replanting them, hold each for just a moment. Consider what it will becomeand remember that the Lord holds you the same way.

Father, You know that on certain days I feel lifeless, worthless, and stale. During those times, remind me that You are indeed at work in my life and that I will eventually blossom, emerging for the purpose to which You call me and spreading the joy with which You fill me.

Do not withhold Your tender mercies from me, O LORD; Let Your lovingkindness and Your truth continually preserve me.

PSALM 40:11 NKJV

T o gardeners, there is something very satisfying about perennials...

Every spring we wonder about the soil, the mulch, and those aspects of the garden we tended to in the winter while the plants were dormant. After the somber tones of winter, we find ourselves very ready for springs gift of color. Never too soon the faithful and colorful perennials pop up from the ground. And when we see that certain perennials have multiplied and spread during the winter, that additional and unexpected color is truly a bonus.

Whether we plant irises, hydrangeas, roses, raspberries, or hostas, their reappearanceyear after yearis a lovely illustration of Gods grace and forgiveness in our lives. When were in a spring season spiritually, we remain close to our Life Source, gathering nourishment from His hand. In a spiritual summer, we are blooming and remain steadfast; we can weather the storms and most of the droughts. But at some point our bloom fades and withers, the weeds of sin overtake us, and we find ourselves in a season of spiritual dormancy.

But think about the perennials: much is happening during their hidden existence in winters garden. Similarly, much is happening in our soul that we dont see, but God is still very much at work. Perhaps He is softening the soil of our heart after lifes hurts and disappointments have created a protective crust. Or maybe Hes gently watering and loosening the soil of our heart, preparing for the seeds of a new direction, a new ministry, or a renewed excitement about our relationship with Jesus.

God is at work even in seasons of your heart that seem dormant, that lack color, and that seem to bear no fruit. Be sure that He continues to pour out His grace so that, like perennials in the garden, you will blossom again and again, adding color to the world and joy to people around you.