Peonies

I love poppies…red to be exact. And a faithful gardener in my neighborhood has created a little area I pass each day that is full of red poppy blooms! What a beautiful treat!

 

I also love peonies. I have one plant in my yard and I’m thankful that I don’t have to be a faithful gardener to produce some beautiful blooms on said plant. Well, maybe if I were a little more faithful, I’d have even more blooms, but that’s besides the fact.

 

I do enjoy flowers, but I’m not as dependable when it comes to watering, caring or even willing to put more effort into this plant. It’s a good thing I’m not this way in other areas of my life.

 

My marriage. My work skills. My relationship with my children and grandchildren. The upkeep of my home. My spiritual life. In each of these areas, if I were as dependable as I am with my peony plant, these would all fall to pieces and they would be in ruin.

 

But I also know what is important. My peony plant brings joy to my heart when I see the blooms, but it doesn’t really have an effect on my day-to-day life. However, my relationships, my skills, my home, and my spiritual life are elements of my life that cannot be ignored or neglected.

 

So each day I must grow. Sometimes the growth is barely noticeable and other days I grow in enormous ways. But if I do not grow, I become stagnant. And in the worst case scenario, a little bit of me dies from neglect. I don’t know that any of the above mentioned areas of my life are so insignificant that I would be willing to allow that. So I’m determined to grow!

 

I’ve spoken of Jesus’ message in John 15 on numerous occasions. Jesus encourages us to grow. To produce fruit. To remain in Him. His words are nourishment to the soul and as we come to understand His words, we understand that we must grow.

 

In Romans 7:4 (NIV), Paul also encourages us to bear fruit. “So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God.”

 

We also read of growth through the Gospel. “All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth.” (Colossians 1:6b – NIV)

 

And again in Colossians 1:10 (NIV). “And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.”

 

We must continue to grow in knowledge and in bearing fruit. Each day we must get into God’s Word to see where growth should take place and then we must allow growth to take place. It may be difficult. It will be work. But when good fruit is produced, it is worth it all.

 

The one thing in my life that does need to die is my sinful nature. Romans 7:6 (NIV) says, “But now, by dying to what once bound us (sinful nature, sinful passions), we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.”

 

Are you growing today? What steps are you taking to ensure growth? Are you learning from God’s Word today? Are you willing to put to death that which is separating you from God?

 

These are all questions each of us must ask. From the newest of Christian to the oldest, each day I must be willing to grow. In all areas of my life.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

 

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