Divine Pruning

Wednesday, June 15, 2011 (7:17 a.m.)

Loving Lord,

Thank You for Who You are and What You are and All You are. Every single time I start to think that I can’t deal with one more surprise, I am reminded that “I can do ALL things through Him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13). Wow! Thanks Lord.

Just as I begin to think that I am disappearing through this whole refining process, I smile as I remember John the Baptist say, “He must become greater; I must become less” (John 3:30). Again I say thank You Lord!

This is all new territory for me. All the things You have been preparing me for through the years. The cautions. The dangers. You just keep chiseling away at all the things I have believed and relied on all these years. Just as I was going to use the word ‘refining’ to describe what all these changes inside me feel like, the title ‘Divine Pruning’ (John 15:1-6) appeared in one of my readings.

I can tell You are working here Lord. My thoughts and prayers go much more readily in Your direction. I no longer believe it’s up to me to try to fix everything for everybody. Again I am in that place of wanting You to teach me. So many times I have jumped into action without asking You if that would be Your best for me or the situation.

People need to know they are loved. And safe. I’ve always thought it was up to me to give them that. Thank You Lord that You are once again showing me that, yes, that too is YOUR job. I am to keep pointing to You. YOU are the Great Protector! Not me.

Thank You Lord. Thank You for working to relieve me of responsibilities I have gathered along the way in my life. Responsibilities that weren’t necessarily mine to pick up in the first place.

Thank You for surrounding me with Your love. Your Word. I found myself saying out loud the other day that when I became a Follower of Yours I truly believed that I had signed myself securely into the ‘happily ever after’ group. I didn’t realize that the ‘after’ comes in our next life. Currently I consider myself in the ‘never left alone in the struggle’ category. And really, that’s a very good place to be. So again I say, thank You!

I clutch my dog-eared Women’s Devotional Bible and smile as I reread inspirations from the past. Judith C. Lechman had written an entry entitled “REALIZE”. She tells of the impossibility of living our Christian life with our own strength and goodness. It’s through YOUR strength that we know courage. And Your power that we know goodness. After we realize this, “surrender becomes our priority”.

I confess to initially disagreeing with her stating “we don’t want a fixed blissful union with Him [You! J], one that is filled with passivity.” I tend to think I’d like an easier approach. But she follows that right up with “Surrendering to Him means growth and progress. It is the freedom of moving forward with and through Him, so that each of our relationships and all of our work, worship, and play reflect what He wants of us.” To this I can only add, prune away Lord! Do what You have to do to give me the strength to be all that You would have me be.

I love You so very much. I ask Your protection, Your guidance, Your will, Your way, Your love, Your mercy, Your grace as I seek to become the woman of Yours You created me to be. Thank You for loving me and calling me Your own. I love You. Amen.

(620 words ~ 8:25 a.m.)