February 27, 2014 - "The Value of Pruning - PT. 1"

I am sorry about yesterday, I was semi "out to lunch" from a 3 day conference and decided to go AWOL. :) Feeling better this morning and wanna talk about a first time experience for me - pruning. Perhaps there are "master gardeners" among you, but I am not that. My husband usually tends to the yard maintenance (he LOVES it) and I simply drink UNSWEETENED, mint tea and enjoy the beauty. However, due to his work situation, he is unable to fulfill that portion of the marriage contract - well, at least in this season. (wink) So I decided that pruning couldn't be that tough a feat. Right? My husband said, "watch a few youtube videos and read a few articles and you'll get it." That is SO not how I learn, but I had no options. After a couple of days, I was more confident that I could accomplish the task and was determined to see my rose bushes healthy. I did know enough about pruning to understand that it makes plants healthier and more productive and beautiful roses make me smile every time! As I began to prune, the picture and reason God was allowing me to embrace this experience emerged. One of my main goals as a Christian is to be healthy and productive for the Kingdom of God. Even in my natural realm, I feel strongly about sending things to "heaven" that have lost their effectiveness and are simply in the clutter stage. Taking up space and needing attention is not an option. God feels strongly about this as well as evidenced in John 15:1-4, which reads: 1“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. 3You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 4Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me." Okay, so why prune? Sometimes branches die and must be cut away. The plant may be "leggy" — spindly and weak. Pruning a plant like this corrects its growth, causing it to put out new shoots in other places, and ultimately strengthens it. The gardener may find disease or insects. Pruning removes the infestation, keeping it from spreading to the rest of the plant. With some plants early growth must be cut back several times for the maximum number of flowers to appear. To keep arms from crossing the center and not following their designed path of flowing outward to the sun. Well, well...as I mixed the passage from John with my combined research on pruning, I had no choice but to examine my own life. Now, as I pruned, I first spent time examining and testing each bush. I immediately focused on the woody arms (as they looked the most dead) and cut deep to see if any life remained. I continued to cut down until the woody part stopped, if it did, and a green and white interior showed forth. I wondered, "where are the woody arms in my own life that need to be examined and cut deep? Check it out - green symbolizing new life and white symbolizing a cleansing from the old. I could imagine that being cut several times might not have been the desired wish of the bush, or me, but unless that which no longer produces life is destroyed and separated, new, emerging life is given little to no hope. The verse in John records that God cuts off every branch that does not bear fruit. In the natural, allocating energy to something dead is a waste of time? In God's kingdom - He is the one cutting off the non-productive branch. He alone knows, but God help me to understand this process in my life no matter how painful it can be at times. God - the master gardener - examines, determines, and cuts. Sometimes He cuts those things which we may not suspect are dead in order to bring increased purpose into our lives. I may not enjoy the cutting process, but I trust God and my heart's desire is to display Jesus well. Here's how we'll end today - if pruning brings more of Jesus to a lost and dying world - I want it. Let's continue this tomorrow - but please re-read the "why prune" above with your spiritual eyes. See anything that relates to you? Have a great Thursday! PK