Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Pruning

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
Every branch in Me that does not bear
fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He
prunes it, that it may bear more
fruit.” John 15: 1-2

Yesterday I did some work in my flower garden. Armed with a new pair of pruning shears, I was ready to do some necessary trimming. Every year the Lantana freeze and their long branches die. It is necessary to cut them off to make room for new growth. The Salvia had become long and leggy and didn’t have much new growth. The same was true of the Texas Sage that grows beside the front porch.

And so I went to work. I imagined the plants cringing when they saw me coming with those sharp, new shears. “Oh no. Here she comes again. She’s going to cut away with abandon, and it hurts. Why can’t she just leave us alone? We’re growing perfectly fine without all that unnecessary pain. Look we even have new leaves and are putting out new branches. We’re producing. Leave us alone...

I am at Laced With Grace today. You will find the rest of the devotional there. Please come visit. I would be so honored.

P.S. Steve's surgery went, in the surgeon's words, "perfect." How we felt your prayers Thank you so much. Our continued prayer is for healing without complications. You are so precious to me. I cannot tell you how it blesses my heart to know you are praying. It is a miracle of love.

Blessings,
Linda