A few weeks ago, our home was in disarray, with water damage and water damage repair. It seems that the drying out process was a bit more painful than the damaging part. Through this whole process I have learned even some spiritual lessons. Funny how God can teach us things in the most unusual ways!
The plant you see in this picture is a bonsai that Todd and I purchased on our honeymoon in Kauai fourteen years ago. This plant has lived through four moves. Until just a few weeks ago, it was a very healthy botanical wonder. All I had to do was water it once a week. It grew and maintained its green, healthy state for a long time. Its life was forever altered, though, with the presence of heaters and dehumidifiers in our bedroom, which had come to the rescue of our walls and hardwood floor. I didn't think. I didn't remember that 90 degree heat and no humidity would suck the life out of a living organism. Maybe I was too concerned about my own level of coolness and humidity!
As life returned to normal (somewhat normal, anyway!), I noticed the bonsai wasn't looking too good. I moved it into the kitchen area where it could receive more sunlight and where maybe some words of encouragement would fall upon its leaves. The days passed and the green leaves were being transformed into something not so pretty. Brown. Brown spots ate up the smooth, green covering of life. Soon, the branches began to be filled with heaviness. Life was vacating the premises.
If you notice, though, there is one bright green branch, complete with 7 life-filled leaves - and if you can get a magnifying glass, you just may see a tiny baby shoot with six hope-filled, thriving green leaves! Amazing! All odds were stacked against this plant... but it did not give in to what looked like a losing situation.
You see, even though this plant looked like it was certainly full of death, I continued to provide water for it. I refused the thought of tossing it in the trash. I had hope that maybe, somehow, some part of this plant could survive. AND IT IS!!
This plant is so much like life in human form. We can be surrounded by the heat of hell. It can be unrelenting in our soul. If we continue to hold on to whatever glimmer of hope we can, and if we drink the Water of Life, that comes through Jesus Christ.... miracles can happen. Life can be re-born within.
If you are at the end of all hope, take hold of the hope that comes through Jesus. Just start by whispering His name. Revelation 21:5 says,
"And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." And He said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true."
This is truth. He can bring life from death. He does indeed, make all things new!
The plant you see in this picture is a bonsai that Todd and I purchased on our honeymoon in Kauai fourteen years ago. This plant has lived through four moves. Until just a few weeks ago, it was a very healthy botanical wonder. All I had to do was water it once a week. It grew and maintained its green, healthy state for a long time. Its life was forever altered, though, with the presence of heaters and dehumidifiers in our bedroom, which had come to the rescue of our walls and hardwood floor. I didn't think. I didn't remember that 90 degree heat and no humidity would suck the life out of a living organism. Maybe I was too concerned about my own level of coolness and humidity!
As life returned to normal (somewhat normal, anyway!), I noticed the bonsai wasn't looking too good. I moved it into the kitchen area where it could receive more sunlight and where maybe some words of encouragement would fall upon its leaves. The days passed and the green leaves were being transformed into something not so pretty. Brown. Brown spots ate up the smooth, green covering of life. Soon, the branches began to be filled with heaviness. Life was vacating the premises.
If you notice, though, there is one bright green branch, complete with 7 life-filled leaves - and if you can get a magnifying glass, you just may see a tiny baby shoot with six hope-filled, thriving green leaves! Amazing! All odds were stacked against this plant... but it did not give in to what looked like a losing situation.
You see, even though this plant looked like it was certainly full of death, I continued to provide water for it. I refused the thought of tossing it in the trash. I had hope that maybe, somehow, some part of this plant could survive. AND IT IS!!
This plant is so much like life in human form. We can be surrounded by the heat of hell. It can be unrelenting in our soul. If we continue to hold on to whatever glimmer of hope we can, and if we drink the Water of Life, that comes through Jesus Christ.... miracles can happen. Life can be re-born within.
If you are at the end of all hope, take hold of the hope that comes through Jesus. Just start by whispering His name. Revelation 21:5 says,
"And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." And He said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true."
This is truth. He can bring life from death. He does indeed, make all things new!
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