Thorns among the Vines/THE FRUIT OF MY LABOR Updated again...

April 9, 2012...I had to update this again...please scroll down to the bottom to see the latest "fruit of my labor"...Thank you Jesus!!


I WROTE THIS ORIGINAL POST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AFTER SPENDING THE AFTERNOON PRUNING THE VOLUMINOUS VINES GROWING OVER OUR PRIVACY FENCE.  THIS WEEK I HAVE BEEN REWARDED WITH THE FRUIT OF MY LABORS:  THESE MAGNIFICENT WISTERIA BLOSSOMS ARE BURSTING FORTH WITH SUCH FRAGRANCE AND BEAUTY BEYOND MY IMAGINATION! THANK YOU, LORD!!!!!!  I CAN'T TAKE THE CREDIT...ALL I DID WAS SET THEM FREE FROM THE BRIERS... HEY, ISN'T THAT WHAT JESUS DID FOR US?  HE SET US FREE FROM THE BRIERS AND ENTANGLEMENTS OF THIS LIFE THAT HAD A STRANGLEHOLD ON OUR HEARTS AND MINDS AND SOULS...AND NOW, WE TOO CAN BLOSSOM WITH SUCH BEAUTY AND FRAGRANCE BEYOND OUR GREATEST IMAGINATIONS!

"Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.  For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing."  II Corinthians 2:14-15

ORIGINAL POST:

"I went by the field of the lazy man, and by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding; and there it was, all overgrown with thorns; Its surface was covered with nettles; Its stone wall was broken down.  When I saw it, I considered it well; I looked on it and received instruction..."  Proverbs 24: 30-32

Well, today I tackled a "thorny problem".  It was such a glorious day...picture perfect weather...sunny skies, temperatures in the mid 60's, which, after yesterday's high 80's (yes, it is February in Florida), the refreshingly cool day was a God-send. So, I said to myself (and to anyone else who would listen) So I said to MYSELF, (because no one else WOULD listen)..."Today is much too beautiful to sit inside and watch a race on TV...a person would have to be crazy to stay inside on a day like this..."   And because it was such a marvelous day, I decided to do several things I have been wanting to do ever since moving into our new house in the forest. 

1. I washed our sheets and hung them on the clothesline! (Should that be "hanged" or "hung"?)
2. I washed some towels and underwear and hung them on the line also (after I took in the freshly dried, sweet smelling clean sheets and put them right back on my bed to enjoy tonight).
3. I opened windows everywhere in the house and let the fresh air in and the stuffy air out. (Who said mid 60's are too cool to open the windows? Bah humbug! Put on a sweater if you are cold!)
4. And then I decided to tackle the overgrown honeysuckle and/or wisteria vines on our privacy fence.

I have been wanting to prune these vines ever since we bought this house...and to get them cleaned out before they start to bloom and attract all manner of honeybees and bumblebees!  They appeared to not have been pruned in a long time, and I knew if I didn't get started on them soon, they would be even more overgrown and difficult to manage.  So I headed out there with my brand new pruning shears and thick work gloves, and started cutting and pulling out the dead vines.  I soon discovered why several sections of the vines were looking dead even though there appeared to be green leaves growing on them.  The green leaves did not belong to the honeysuckle and wisteria vines at all...they belonged to a thorny vine that was working its way through the healthy plants and choking them out, leaving dry, brittle dead stalks in its wake. 

As I struggled to cut through these thorny vines and pull them out I couldn't help but think about the parable Jesus taught His disciples about the "Sower and the Soils" in Matthew 13:3-23...and particularly verse 7, which says:

"And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them."

Jesus later explained this parable to the disciples as the seed that is the Word of God that is sown among good soil (hearts and minds willing to hear and learn) and the Word of God that falls upon the wayside on stony or thorny ground, are hearts that are not receptive to God because of the "cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches" that comes and chokes the word so that the person becomes unfruitful. (Matthew 13:22)

Those thorny vines choking out the good vines became a very clear picture of what Jesus was talking about, in the literal, agricultural sense.  It also made me realize that I sometimes allow thorny vines to creep in and choke out my healthy growth...thorny vines of anxiety, insecurity, selfishness, preoccupation with things that really aren't that important... and I needed to add to my checklist for today to take some time out to prepare my heart for reading and hearing God's Word...(and writing the things that the Lord lays on my heart to write...)  So here I am, Lord.

"For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, So shall My Word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. 

For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you, And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. 

Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off."  Isaiah 55:10-13

Lord, I pray that instead of the thorns around my heart and mind, You will cause new healthy growth to appear, and that it will indeed be an everlasting sign that will not be cut off.   I pray that Your Word, which You have shown me here today from Your mouth, will indeed not return to You void, but that it shall accomplish all that You please, and that it shall prosper in the thing for which YOU sent it.  Amen.

"And all the trees of the woods shall clap their hands"  Isaiah 55:12...Even this beautiful magnolia tree which
happens to be in my backyard will clap its hands!   (See below for a later update...)

"For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace."  Isaiah 55:12

AMEN! Thank you Lord!!

April 9, 2012...The Magnolia Tree is starting to bloom...

April 9, 2012:  Our fence is now loaded with Confederate Jasmine and
Honeysuckle in full bloom!  The hummingbirds and butterflies are in
nectar heaven!!! Thank you Lord!!



Can you smell this honeysuckle?  It is divine...



God is so good.