I’m joining one of my FAVORITE memes today! Gypsy Mama gives us a topic and we write about it for 5 minutes. Nothing rehearsed, nothing planned. Just write and see what flows. No editing or critiquing.
Today’s topic: GROWING
Start: 7:53
Yesterday I did one of my favorite yearly rituals.
I began to raid our grapevines. I peeked under all of the heavy growth to see if there were any brown luscious muscadine grapes waiting for me. I even took pictures on my iPhone which I will add.
It was amazed at all of the heavy greenery because just a few short months ago those same vines were cut back to sticks!
Plants need pruning and we do too.
Are there areas in your life where you aren’t growing spiritually? What needs pruning? God is the Master Gardener in our lives (or should be).
So many of us get stuck in areas of woundedness because we nurse those wounds and let them weep pain, anger, and bitterness all over the place. We can’t grow when a wound is full of unholy infection.
How do we allow the pruning? We cry out to God, seek His Face, and read His Word. We ask Him for forgiveness and we ask for the blood of Jesus to cover our sins. Then we pray for His Holy Light to cauterize those wounds so that complete healing comes in Jesus’ Name.
Wow, the growth on our grape vines is tangible evidence of what pruning can produce! The fruit is hidden within the growth. Pruning may not feel great. It may cause oozing, but others will enjoy the fruit of your hard work with the Lord.
Stop: 7:58
I want to add a scripture to explain the healing LIGHT (His beams) I referenced concerning wounds:
Malachi 4:2
But unto you who revere and worshipfully fear My name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in His wings and His beams, and you shall go forth and gambol like calves [released] from the stall and leap for joy.
For more 5 Minute flowing, click on Gypsy Mama’s button below.
Have a great Friday everyone! (And THANK YOU for still coming and commenting though I’m “missing in action” right now! I love you and I love your comments. Thanks for visiting even though I can’t return the favor right now. I have already responded to at least 600 corn maze emails in the past few weeks. Busy girl.)
I’m pretty sure the words you wrote here were the words my brain couldn’t conjure when I wrote my 5 Minute Friday post. Beautifully written and well thought out. I love the design of your blog and hope you keep up the great writing!
I think sometimes it’s as simple as pruning the noise out of our lives. Pruning the TV, internet, iphones, activities.
Janelle
GraceTags
It never ceases to amaze me, how we write so similarly. I too wrote about the Master Gardener today. I welcome the pruning. I welcome the pain. I know it’s only through them that I will grow strong and mature, rooted and grounded in Him.
Definitely I could cut the television off a lot more. I’ve gotten addicted to having it on all the time except for while I sleep.
Wow…600 e-mails?? Busy busy! Hope you all prosper greatly this fall and always!!
Oh the pruning — a sometimes painful but necessary process for growth. Wonderful 5 minute post!
Beth,
Thank you so much for visiting my 5-Minute Friday post! I thought I’d like to return the favor. I found a couple of points in your post fascinating from the point of view of an Eastern Orthodox Christian. First “His beams”–in the Orthodox Church, we talk about the “Uncreated Light” of God, which is the same Light that Christ emanated during the Transfiguration. If the Scriptural account of that event is anything to judge by, experiencing that Light certainly changes your life forever! Secondly, you mentioned the important part that prayer plays in forgiveness, and I have found that to be very true. We pray what is called “the Jesus Prayer,” though it’s actually a paraphrase of the Blind Man sitting beside the road whom Jesus healed–“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” When we are struggling to forgive someone, we modify this prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on (name of other person), and on me through (his/her) prayers.” If you come to truly mean that prayer, it’s hard to stay angry at them.
Excellent, thought-provoking post. Thank you.
Jennifer from “The Beauty of Eclecticism”
Love this post!!! Beautifully written. I have been pruned more times than I’d care to count, but each one ended in something so beautiful. Yeah God!