Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
Dear Fellow Saints,
I admit … I’m not a fan of winter. I don’t mind a little cold and maybe a couple inches of snow on the ground around Christmas. But, growing up in southern Arizona, I’m a fan of warmer, sunny days starting around January 2nd and continuing until Spring arrives on the calendar. Among other things, I’m a gardener who likes to dig in the dirt. This time of year is hard for me because I’m itching to get busy with my planting. I’ve done all my prep work … I can’t wait to plant.
God is a planter too. He plants all over the place and His Word is filled with planting images. Some of those are images of healthy green plants, abundant fruit, and growth. Some are images of infertile soil, shriveled up plants, and crops choked to death by weeds. The prophet Jeremiah, speaking to God’s people in Judah – bathed in the worldliness of idol worship rather than worship of the one, true God – says, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water … it does not cease to bear fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:7-8) At the same time, God warns His people saying, “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord … He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land.” (Jeremiah 17:5-6)
God created all people everywhere. He gives each and every one of us the gift of life! Unfortunately, many choose to plant themselves far from the streams of living water found only in God’s Word and Sacraments. These people may think they know best how to provide for themselves and how to live the life God has given them. They trust themselves and the world around them instead of the one true God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In doing so, whether they know it or not, they are depriving themselves of the nourishment God desires, more than anything, to give to His people. Without this nourishment, they become dried up shrubs incapable of bearing fruit and living the life God intended for them.
On the flip side, led by the Holy Spirit, who dwells in us through the cool waters of baptism, we become like a tree planted by water. We learn to trust God and His Word in our lives. We learn to trust the Holy Spirit to lead us by God’s Word, even when that Word might not seem to make sense. Like water nourishes a plant – enabling it to grow, produce leaves, and generate fruit – immersing ourselves in God’s Word regularly nourishes us into a fulfilling relationship with Him where we trust Him to hear our prayers … and trust His will when He answers them. We trust His promise to forgive and cleanse us of sin when we disobey Him. We put aside our anxiety and trust His leading to be His eyes and ears, His hands and feet in the world. Through us, His will is done as He transplants shriveled shrubs, trusting themselves, into fertile soil – enabling them to join us in bearing endless fruit for His kingdom.
In Christ’s Love,
Pastor Jim