A transformative process in the works

When you put a seed into the ground, it doesn’t grow into a plant unless it dies first. And what you put in the ground is not the plant that will grow, but only a bare seed of wheat or whatever you are planting. Then God gives it the new body he wants it to have. A different plant grows from each kind of seed. (I Corinthians 15:36-38)

A seed must undergo a transformation before it ever can bear fruit. It goes into the ground, but it is still not a plant capable of fruit-bearing. Until the transformation occurs that reveals roots, stem, branches, and eventually buds occur there is no real 'hope' for fruit. The seed is merely a promise of what is about to come, but if you are anything like me, your garden seeds don't always seem to sprout, much less produce! The seed 'exists' - under the soil. It just never sprouted. There is probably a whole lot of seed in our lives that 'exists' but never sprouts. We might not realize how much seed is actually 'wasted' just beneath the surface until the soil of our heart is dug up, turning over the seed. Once the seed has been planted, the promise is for a new beginning, but both the soil and the seed must work in unison toward that new beginning!

There is a hope that lies deep within our hearts - the hope of what we might call 'spiritual growth'. We count on the seed God plants within our hearts to go through a transformation, in turn transforming us. Whenever we take in God's word, we are likely having tiny seeds of faith planted. In time, those seeds begin to transform, as does our inner character. The change begins the moment the seed is placed - the evidence of the change may take a bit longer, though! Whenever we embrace the seed of God's word, we are welcoming transformation, but is the transformation process always comfortable? No! Not at all. There is a whole lot of 'work' going on within our hearts that will eventually bring about evidence of growth and hope of fruit, so we 'endure' the work that is taking place 'beneath the surface'.

God actually gives the 'seed' all it needs for growth. What looks like a 'bare seed' might not reveal the full potential of the seed at first, but as God gives it all it needs to grow, the 'new body' of that seed brings evidence of the fullness of what it will produce. Just sayin!

Racers, start your engines!

Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him. (I Chronicles 16:11)

"Desire is the key to motivation, but it is determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal - a commitment to excellence - that will enable you to attain the success you seek." (Mario Andretti) Imagine a race car driver assuming the position behind the wheel of a highly powered auto, revving the engine several times, buckled in, watching intently for the flag to drop signifying the start of the race. What sense would it make for the driver to rev and rev, then putt-putt away from the starting line, lagging behind all those who are out lapping him? He has all the power he needs - he just doesn't tap into it! He knows the goal is the finish line, but he doesn't seem to be committed to the goal, just the ride. God needs individuals who are more than along for the ride - he needs those who will tap into the power he provides - using it fully to see they cross the finish line. 

Seek him - but when you find him, what will you do with him? What will you allow him to do for you? That racer has sponsors - those who will invest in him time and time again. We have one 'sponsor' - God himself - investing in us time and time again. Never tiring of making that investment - all he asks of us is the commitment to see the race through with all the power he provides. We have strength beyond our means, but will we use it? Whatever you are facing today that seems a bit like it might overwhelm you is kind of like what that race car driver faces when being 'out lapped' by a few cars. He doesn't just allow them to 'out lap' him - he pushes the pedal to the metal and taps into the power of that engine!

Continual seeking means we engage the 'engine' - we do more than 'rev' it a bit. We tap into the power God provides in our seeking and we take the laps with gusto. We may not gain much in one lap, but when we continue to face each lap by tapping into the 'super-powered engine' within us, we soon 'out lap' the doubts, fears, and disappointments of life. We don't know the potential within us, but when we do more than 'play with religion' and actually take on this relationship with gusto, we see that potential released full force! Just sayin!

Dormant doesn't mean dead!

If I were to ask you what it means to be living a "flourishing" life, you might gravitate toward a life filled with companions, things which bring you happiness, and sufficient  resources to live pretty close to "ease".  Yet, if you really read what scripture has to say about a flourishing life, it is the opposite of a dead thing which once produced life!  We often associate flourishing with success - not so much the growth experience, but the "benefits" of growth.  God looks at the experience - the benefits are the outcome of the growth.  Without the growth, the tree has no purpose.

A life devoted to things is a dead life, a stump; a God-shaped life is a flourishing tree.  (Proverbs 11:28 MSG)

If God focuses on the growth, we probably would do well to focus on the same.  A flourishing tree has evidence of the vigorous growth which is occurring "inside" which produces the evidence of growth on the "outside".  Leaves are an indication of active growth on the inside.  Right now, I have several small trees in my backyard I have grown from seed.  We had a particularly rough winter here in Arizona - awful frost and even snow in the Valley of the Sun!  I have been watching these little trees because I was concerned they might not have survived the extreme weather conditions.  The one I thought would be okay because it was the largest of the three is the one to actually still be without leaves!  The other two are beginning to show evidence of their "internal" growth - leaves bursting out everywhere.  I continue to watch this one tree with eager anticipation it will bud soon.  If not, you know what will happen - I will have to spend some time digging it up and starting over again.

God spends a lot of time watching for the evidence of growth in our lives.  He looks upon us in our seasons of "dormancy" - those "winter" seasons when we don't show much evidence of growth "outwardly".  As the "thaw" begins to occur, he anticipates the "buds" of growth which will soon give evidence of what has been occurring throughout the former season of "winter" dormancy.  All growth goes through cycles of change, intermixed with what appears to be times of dormancy.  What we don't realize is the intense growth of the "spring" and "summer" prepare us for the dormancy of the "winter" season.  As we set down roots and spring forth new growth in these seasons, we are actually prepared for the "cooler" seasons of life.

Since God spends all this time looking for evidence of growth, does that mean he is just idly waiting?  Not really.  In fact, I have had to tend these little saplings throughout the hot summer, as well as the frigid winter.  There was water provided, fertilizing, etc.  In these watchful preparations, the intended result is the exposure of what has been stored up throughout these times of care and provision.  I have five "stumps" in my side yard - evidence of unwanted growth.  These other wee trees are "purposefully" planted by me.  They were my "choice" for my yard.  I even tended them from their wee infancy to the place they are today - in anticipation of the enjoyment of their full branches at some point in the future.  It may be a few more years before I can say I will enjoy their broad branches, but for now, they delight me just the way they are. 

God is delighted with us just the way we are right now.  He knows growth is a process.  He knows there will be seasons of dormancy in us, as well.  These are not seasons of "no growth", but of delayed "evidence" of the growth which is occurring on the inside.  I don't want any of us to forget this when we don't see the immediate evidence of growth from our lives.  You see, I could pluck that lonely little tree up by the roots in my backyard, but I believe it has the potential to bud forth soon - so I will wait.  I don't believe what has been purposefully planted will become a thing of wasted effort!  God feels the same way about each of us - none of us is a wasted effort!  Some growth may take a little longer to manifest - but in his patient tending, it SHALL appear!  Just sayin!