In my back yard, by my deck, is a magnolia tree ... a little piece of the South to remind me where I came from and where home is. My oldest son bought the tree as a sapling at a lawn and garden show and planted it as a gift to me. What in the beginning was a 6-inch scrawny-looking twig is now a good-sized tree that towers above the deck.
Each time Matt comes home, he heads outside to check "his" tree. More often than not, he goes into the garage and emerges with trimmers so that he can work on the lower limbs of the tree, removing them so that the tree will grow stronger and more stable. A couple of summers ago, Matt and my daughter-in-law Becca thought the tree was leaning too far to one side and growing at an angle. They devised a plan to tie the tree to the deck in several places to train it to grow in the correct direction ... straight and tall.
In all the times I've watched Matt work on the magnolia tree, I've always been impressed with the care he uses as he prunes away certain branches or readjusts the ties to the deck. It is as if he wants to ensure that he doesn't hurt the tree in any way as he makes the necessary alterations to enable its growth and protect its health. Never once have I heard him raise his voice in anger to the magnolia ... never once have I seen him randomly hack away at a branch ... never once have I seen him willfully inflict any sort of punishment on the tree for the way it is growing. Instead there is a gentleness, a patience, a wisdom in his actions ... the knowledge that what he is doing is to help the tree rather than harm it.
The last time I watched Matt with the magnolia, I couldn't help but ponder the way God works in my own life to cause me to grow stronger, more stable and taller. I couldn't help but contemplate His desire for me to head in the right direction and how the only way to get there is by tying my heart to the anchor of His Word. And, honestly, there have been times when I have also pondered whether God was doing more than just pruning away the parts of my life that were hampering my walk with Him ... at times I've wondered if He was punishing me for the presence of sin in my life, for not being faithful, for dangling my feet in the water of the world.
So, does God only prune, or does He sometimes punish those who have a relationship with Him? I don't pretend to be a theologian or a scholar, and I simply do not know the answer to that question. So, here's my challenge to those of you who read this blog ... tell me what you believe.
Oh, and by the way ... my magnolia tree was covered this spring with beautiful pinkish white flowers surrounded by rich dark green leaves. Matt must be doing something right.
3 comments:
Really liked this one. Wish I could see a picture of the magnolia...i'm visual...
I believe that God's intent has always been, and always is, to reconcile us to Himself. (since Genesis 3) Everything He does is about revealing Himself to us. Drawing us closer to Him, and helping us to see Him first, and ourselves second - or not at all (now, that's HARD!) If we fall. No. WHEN we fall...a lot of times it is a consequence of our own doing. A natural result. God is not up there causing bad things to happen.
we as parents don't wish bad things upon our children. However, sometime's, we know that they have to learn the hard way. Does that mean we stick our foot out and deliberately trip them? No! We watch. We wait. We hope they'll make the right choice based on our guidance and counsel. And then with love and grace, we pick up the pieces when they come running home "hat-in-hand."
I believe this is the same with God. He has taught and instructed since the beginning. He loves us. He wants good things for us. He has to pick us up sometimes when we fail. when we fall. Now here's the hard part. Some people might not understand this. I DO believe that if you have a sin problem that is plaguing you so severely that the father, the Good Shepherd, feels you need a clean break. He will allow circumstances to develop to enable you to break free...to walk closely...perhaps even the need to be carried. I believe he can and will use these circumstances in our lives to bind us in and force us to yield; When we have refused to yield to anything else.
The danger in this statement is that some people will use a loved one's death or illness and blame it on God's wrath/punishment...no one can know for sure, but I don't believe that's God's Heart. I often think it's more subtle than that. For me...I desire to do ministry...but haven't learned how to multi-task better. No - that's not completely true. I haven't learned how to say yes and no when I should....I haven't learned how to be non-busy. I haven't learned the art of being still before the Lord. He's told me to. He's asked me to. He's made it MY hearts desire to be still, and YET i still wouldn't do it. Now...I'm forced to be still. Is God punishing me??? No. I think he just really, REALLY meant it the first time. And now, I'm listening better.
He tied me up. Bound me to the Tree that is solid and unmoveable, and I'm going to choose to rest there and not fight against the tethered spot.
I know that it's pruning. It's seedbed. It's Grace.
I enjoyed your post as well as Jenni's comments. I agree with Jenni. I don't think God punishes or causes bad things to happen to "teach" us.
I thought about this topic a lot recently when a family member lost her 14 year old son who was struck by a car. I understand why she would feel punished. I understand she thinks of every "wrong" thing she ever did in her life and feels deserving of punishment. But the truth is, bad things happen because we have sin in this world, because each of us has the will to choose, because God never promises us good health, long life, or a carefree existence.
Using Jenni's example, just as I can use my children's bad choices and tough experiences to teach them and mature them, God can use mine to teach and mature me. It doesn't mean He causes them to happen just as I don't create chaos for my children just to teach them.
i pretty much ditto what michelle said. brent and i have discussed this topic at length...over and over and over again.
obviously my biggest struggle right now is having to deal w/ q's deafness. i love her. i hate deafness. in my everyday, new normal world of reality that sort of translates / is parallel to love the sinner, hate the sin.
did god make people deaf? or is it the whole fallen world bit? right now i can't bring myself to believe he did this to her, cuz its more than cruel to my simple mind. and i can't serve a cruel god. its hard enough to remain faithful sometimes when the true WEIGHT OF THE WORLD OF SPECIAL NEEDS wears me down day...after day...after day. its HARD. there are no easy answers. there are no answers that satisfy me anyway.
all i know is that my daughter is deaf for life...and we both have to deal with it. and some days, its really sucky. ;O
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