It’s what made us fall in love with this house on the hill. The view out back is pastoral, with rolling hills and valleys dotted with pine trees, houses and horses. The view out front features spectacular sunsets over distant mountain peaks. The house was even built to maximize the views, angled to the southwest, with long, tall windows and without interfering fences or trees.
Because, it’s all about the view.
As we settled into our new home, however, my gaze shifted to other things. Little things like cracked bathroom tiles and stained carpet. Bigger things like a cold basement and drafty windows. And these things began to obstruct my view and cloud my perspective. I grumbled and second-guessed our decision to purchase this house. I even questioned God and His leading.
You see, it’s all about the view.
And I was in desperate need of a vision check. My focus on what was wrong with this picture eclipsed all that was right. My perspective needed to change.
The Lord brought this verse to mind: “…in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18, NAS)
In response to His prompting, I decided that whenever I was tempted to dwell on a negative thought about the house, I would choose instead to thank Him…
Lord, thank you for this house.
Thank You that we could afford to buy a house.
Thank You for helping us with this move.
Thank You…
Thank You…
Thank You…
As I practiced a discipline of thankfulness and cultivated an attitude of gratitude, my viewpoint began to change. God and His goodness filled the horizon and the brightness of His presence dispersed the shadows of negativity in my heart.
It really is all about the view.
And I can see clearly now.
“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.” (Psalm 107:1, NLT)
As we eagerly pulled up to the new house on our Closing Day near the end of August, we didn’t expect to be greeted. But there they were, lining the driveway and waving at us. Only they weren’t members of the Neighborhood Welcoming Committee.
They were weeds.
They seemed to have sprung up overnight, or at least sometime during the six weeks that had passed between our offer and the closing. I didn’t recall a weed problem when we viewed the house. But we sure had one now. And there they were, taunting us, obscuring our view and robbing our joy.
Today we officially declared “War On Weeds.”
As I spent the bulk of my Saturday stooped over, attacking these unwanted guests in our gravel driveway, I had plenty of time to contemplate the topic of Weeds. I also pondered how weeds can be spiritually symbolic of Sin. (For this is what one does in order to avoid dwelling on how much one’s backside hurts while pulling said weeds.) What follows are my thoughts…
1) Weeds are part of life in a fallen world.
Weeds entered the world as a consequence of man’s sin, and they’ve been a tenacious opponent ever since: “…the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it. It will grow thorns and thistles for you, though you will eat of its grains.” (Genesis 3:17b-18, NLT) (We even have some nasty looking actual thistles on our property!)
Weeds interfere with growth and choke out life. Ignoring or denying them will only make the problem worse. So it is with the “sin which so easily entangles us” (from Hebrews 12:1, NAS) We must acknowledge sin’s existence and impact on our lives: “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8, NAS)
2) All weeds are not created equal.
During my extensive field research, I discovered that there are two distinct types of weeds: 1) The kind that come up easily from the ground with a firm tug, and 2) The kind that prefer to engage you in a vigorous game of tug-of-war. Here is a picture of Chris with the latter variety. (He dubbed this one “The Mother Ship.”)
(Note all of the weeds in the background!)
Now sin is sin. But some sins are easier to confess and forsake. Others (persistent areas of defeat, spiritual “strongholds,” addictions) are more stubborn. I struggle with one such area. (I won’t go into detail here, but let’s just say that a recent examination of my closet revealed no less than five different sizes of jeans, all of which fit me at various times in the last two and a half years. Yep.)
3) Weeds must be pulled up by the roots.
The only way I can explain the sudden appearance of the weeds along our driveway is that the previous owner must have kept them mowed down while the house was on the market. They were close to the ground and hidden from all but the most astute potential home buyers. (Apparently we were not of this variety.) While “weed-whacking” appears to alleviate the problem, it does not solve it. The roots remain.
We can confess and suppress sin in our lives, but if we fail to deal with the root of our sin issues, they will eventually reappear. Hebrews 12:15 describes a “root of bitterness” that can keep springing up, causing trouble. I don’t know about you, but I get tired of pulling up familiar “weeds” over and over. (I mean, how many times am I going to lose the same 10 or 20 lbs?) I am asking God to show me the “root” of my struggles, so I can truly be free. I highly recommend Lysa Terkeurst’s book Made to Crave, which has been helping me with this.
4) Weeds can be prevented.
In my husband’s quest to conquer the weeds he came across an environmentally (and water supply) friendly recipe on the Internet, consisting of vinegar, salt and dish-washing liquid. Apparently weeds dislike this particular combination. Even though the view from our house is now mostly weed-free, we must be pro-active if we want to keep the weeds at bay.
If God had a recipe for living a life free from sin’s entanglement, I wonder if it might include some of the following ingredients: the Word (Psalm 119:9), the encouragement of other believers (Hebrews 3:13), and prayer (Matthew 26:41). Being pro-active in our faith means creating an environment that is sin-resistant and conducive to the kind of growth we desire.
5) One day weeds will be eradicated.
As long as we live on this sin-cursed soil, our war with the weeds–both in the physical and the spiritual realm–will continue. But we can experience victory. Jesus overcame the power of sin on the cross. One day He will remove the presence of sin altogether!
Farewell, weeds!
And on that final Closing Day, there will be a Welcoming Committee. The house He’s preparing for us will be in perfect, move-in condition. And I have a hunch the view will be amazing!
News of a young couple’s engagement or wedding usually puts me in a melancholy mood. It’s not that I don’t share their excitement. I do. It’s just that the newness of their relationship makes mine feel so…old. I look back longingly at those early days when all we could see were the stars in each other’s eyes and a future stretching as far as those shining eyes could see.
So when I came across the following quote, it really spoke to me. I share it not to in any way diminish the glory of young love. But this is for those who have logged some marriage miles. Those whose wedding pictures are yellowing with age. Those whose kids laugh at their bridal fashions and hairstyles that are suspended in time. If this describes you, then perhaps we could both use a reminder that what we posses has a timeless value and a beauty that is actually enhanced with age.
New love compared to old love is somewhat akin to the comparison of new silver with old silver. Certainly the former possesses a dazzling brilliance. But the latter’s tarnish defines the elegance and artistry of its design. The marks of old silver’s age speak to the history of its service, its significance and its value. Old silver embodies a rich storehouse of memories that gives it a luster which an immature piece of new silver, for all its inherent value and shiny surface, has not yet attained.” (Dr. Janice Shaw Crouse)
Today Chris and I celebrate 22 years of marriage. Like a fork and a knife, I am thankful for our history of service together. Over two decades of use may have left us a bit tarnished, but that has only deepened and more clearly defined the intricate details of God’s design. Our storehouse of memories is filling, with room left for the ones still to be made. And so I say…
Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be, the last of life, for which the first was made. Our times are in his hand who saith, ‘A whole I planned, youth shows but half; Trust God: See all, nor be afraid!'” (Robert Browning)
Two moms, strangers, in different states, but both in “Moms in Prayer” groups, just happened to pray the same prayer last spring. They both asked God to provide good roommates for their daughters, who would soon be going off to college.
Two girls, strangers, in different states, but both high school seniors planning to attend the same college, just happened to strike up a friendship on the college’s Facebook page.
They discovered that they just happened to be in the same dorm, and just happened to be in the same dorm community. They requested and were assigned each other as roommates. A summer family vacation just happened to bring one of them within thirty minutes of the other, allowing them to meet. They hit it off, and were even more excited to find that they also just happened to share the same faith.
Today two moms met, as they moved their two daughters into their shared dorm room. One of the moms just happened to mention that she had prayed for her daughter’s roommate last spring in her “Moms in Prayer” group…
I had such good intentions. Really, I did. We were staying at a cottage on a bluff overlooking the WA coast, and my sister and I had made a date the night before to go on an early morning beach power walk. Only she got up, and I, well, didn’t. And if the early bird gets the worm, then in this case the early riser gets their own private showing of the beauty and magnificence of God.
The tide was out as the first act opened. Translucent jellyfish, some with stark red streaks, dotted the beach. Multitudes of crabs of various sizes scurried across the gray sand. Next up were a couple dozen seals close in to shore, heads bobbing on the water like brown bowling balls (my sister’s description!). One even made eye contact with her before disappearing beneath the surface. The stars of Act Three were the clams, spouting bursts of water from beneath the sand as if choreographed, nature’s version of Vegas’ dancing Bellagio fountains. And the finale? A majestic bald eagle, swooping low, directly over her head, its massive dark wings extended. It circled the beach as she watched and then perched, silhouetted, in a nearby tall tree.
Bravo! Encore!
I like to call these kinds of experiences “Glimpses of Glory.” They are those times when God’s voice is practically audible, exclaiming through His creation, “I’m here!” He seems to custom design these glimpses with what He knows will most delight a particular child of His. As my sister recounted the incredible display she had witnessed, I was genuinely happy that she had had such memorable moments with her Creator.
Ok, and maybe just a tad jealous that I had missed out on the show.
But it turned out God had a special surprise planned for me as well, something He knew would thrill my heart. A couple of days later we were enroute to the famous Butchart Gardens in British Columbia, where we looked forward to enjoying High Tea and strolling through the stunning gardens. (Tea is certainly one of my love languages and a stroll is definitely more my speed.) As if that wasn’t enough already, God had yet another treat in store. It caught my eye as we neared the entrance to the gardens.
A vineyard.
While a vineyard visit wasn’t on our itinerary for the afternoon, it was on His. He knew that, as I had researched and prepared for the class I had recently taught on John 15, I had wished I could visit an actual vineyard. I had never seen one. They must not grow well in this part of the country. And now here was one right beside the very road we were on! It was as if it had been gift wrapped, tied with a ribbon and presented with a bow. Your vineyard, madame.
I was almost breathless with excitement when we pulled up alongside the neatly tended rows of grape vines. Like a giddy schoolgirl, I took pictures of the vines on their trellises, observed the leafy branches and the little buds that would someday become fruit. I imagined Jesus as the Vine and myself as the branch, allowing this real life illustration of our intimate connection to sink in.
I stood in a vineyard.
It was only for a few moments, but I savored every second, delighting in this God who delights in giving His children the desires of their hearts.
“Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4, Amplified)
Thank you Creator God, for these awesome glimpses of Your glory, these sweet snapshots of Your heart.
This week’s topic for the “Foundations: Christian Living” class was “Abiding in Christ.” I wanted to begin here because I believe it is the foundation for everything else that follows in the Christian life. Assisted by some great photos (most taken by friend Deb Heefner on her visits to a German vineyard, and used with her permission), we explored the relationship between the vine and the branches from John 15. Jesus may very well have paused at a vineyard on the night he was betrayed and selected an actual grape vine as a visual for these final instructions to His disciples. In the first 16 verses of this chapter, He uses the word translated “abide” in the NAS eleven times!
So, the big question is: What does it mean to abide?
Come join me on a walk through the Father’s vineyard…
“I am the vine, you are the branches…” (John 15:5a)
Here you can see what a grape vine (the trunk) and its branches look like. The stronger vine supports the weaker branches. How does one become joined to the vine?
1) To abide in Christ, we must first be grafted in to Him.
Photo by: berrygrape.org
Grafting is a common practice in a vineyard, where a weaker branch is joined to a stronger, hardier vine. Both are cut at corresponding angles, taped together, and sealed. The branch becomes a permanent part of the original plant.
There can be: “No graft without wounding—the laying bare and opening up of the inner life of the tree to receive the stranger branch. It is only through such wounding that access can be obtained to the fellowship of the sap and the growth and the life of the stronger stem…In the death of the cross, Christ was wounded, and in His opened wounds a place prepared where we might be grafted in.”(Andrew Murray)
When I first read this quote, it took my breath away. What a beautiful illustration of our salvation! What a beautiful Savior! Have you been grafted in to Him?
2) To abide in Christ, we must trust the Father’s heart.
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.” (John 15:1)
I absolutely love this picture of the vinedresser as he is tending to his vineyard. I also love this description of the vinedresser’s care for his vines:
“A vinedresser, or husbandman, is more than a mere farmer. Grapes are more than an annual crop. The vinedresser’s grape vines remain with him for decades. He comes to know each one in a personal way, much like a shepherd with his sheep. He knows how the vine is faring from year to year and which ones are more productive or vigorous than others. He knows what they respond to and what special care certain ones need. Every vine has its own personality. And the vinedresser comes to know it over the years. ” (Dr. Earl Radmacher)
“Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away…” (John 15:2a)
Now hold on! Does this mean I’d better step up my fruit production or I’ll get the axe? Abiding in Christ means we trust the Father’s heart, even when His words are confusing.
“It would be a strange vinedresser who immediately cuts off such a branch without even giving it a chance to develop properly. But it would be wise and customary for him to stretch the vine on an arbor or use some other means of raising it to the air and sun…” (James Boice)
In this photo, the elaborate trellis system, used to train and support the branches, can be seen. In fact, the word translated “takes away” can also mean “to lift up.” It typically takes three years for a vine to produce fruit, and of course there are also seasons when the vine is resting, or dormant.
Abiding in Christ means we trust the Father’s heart, even when His ways are confusing.
“…every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.” (John 15:2a)
In this particular vineyard, only one branch remains on each vine after being pruned. Ouch. The vinedresser does this to focus all the energy of the vine for maximum fruitfulness. It’s painful to have things stripped away. But we can endure when we know and trust the One who holds the pruning shears. He is committed to our welfare. He knows what He is doing.
There is still one more action the vinedresser takes on the branch in the process of preparing it to bear fruit…
He breaks it.
Why would a good and loving vinedresser do this? For the same reason God sometimes allows brokenness in our lives. The breaking stimulates the flow of sap, the source of life and growth, into the branch.
3) To abide in Christ, we must draw our life from His Spirit.
Photo by: Sogrape Vinhos
“…the branch cannot bear fruit of itself…” (John 15:4b)
“As the branch partakes of the nature of the tree, is nourished by its juice, and lives by its life, so (you) must be made partakers of my Divine nature, be wise in my wisdom, powerful in my might, and pure through my holiness.” (Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible)
When it comes to fruit-bearing, it’s all about the sap! Unconfessed sin and self-effort hinder its flow. Just as a branch cannot produce fruit unless it abides in the vine, so neither can we, unless we are allowing the sap of His Spirit to completely fill and empower us.
And the result?
“…hewho abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit…” (John 15:5b)
Photo by: Blakeslee Vineyard
A life of abundance! And a beautiful picture of the Trinity: Father (the vinedresser), Son (the vine), and Spirit (the sap), working together in us (the branches) to create nourishing, life-giving FRUIT!
Abide in Him…trust in Him…live in Him, and you will always have something life-enriching and life-sustaining to offer a hungry world!
“My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.” (John 15:8)
*Many thanks to Deb Heefner for sharing her wonderful photos!
It may be summer, but I’m still here. I thought you might like to know that, in case you’ve been concerned about this absentee blogger. And in case you thought I had run off to some exotic, beachfront locale. No need for worry. Or jealousy.
I have, however, embarked on another kind of journey, right in front of my computer screen. I’ve been researching and writing the material for a nine-week class I’m teaching at my church! The class, which commenced this week, is called “Foundations: Christian Living” and explores the practical “how-to’s” of a vibrant life in Christ.
I’ve never been much of a beach person. (Fair skin and sun do not coexist happily.) So, I’ll be spending my summer floating on a sea of study, wading in pools of preparation, and basking in the light of God’s Word! Now that’s MY idea of some serious summer fun!
I’ll try and post some highlights of my “summer project” on here as it unfolds, so you can dive in with me too, if you like!
Apparently a great deal, according to God. He’s been in the name change business from the beginning.
Here are just a couple (out of many) biblical examples: Abram, which means “Exalted Father,” became Abraham, the “Father of a Multitude.” Simon was introduced to Jesus and immediately given a new name: Peter, the “Rock.” To the Jewish people, one’s name was essentially one’s identity, one’s destiny.
A few years ago, while reading the book Captivating by John and Staci Eldredge, I was intrigued when I came across this verse: “…you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will bestow.” (Isaiah 62:2b) The authors encouraged their readers to pray and ask God how HE views them and by what name HE might call them. I was a bit skeptical and somewhat hesitant, but I presented the question to the Lord anyway.
This is the name He impressed upon my heart:
“The Shepherd’s Daughter.”
Who? Me?
But the more I pondered it, the more it seemed to fit. I’ve always had a thing for sheep, probably because they are mentioned so often in the Bible. (While staying on a Welsh sheep farm once, however, I discovered that the sound of bleating sheep right outside my window all night didn’t quite match up with the peaceful, pastoral image I had imagined!) One of the passages that I’ve adopted as my life’s calling is found in John 21, where Jesus commissioned Peter to care for His flock, saying, “Feed my lambs…take care of my sheep…feed my sheep.”
I love God’s Word, and I am passionate about sharing its truths and principles with others. Kind of like feeding sheep, in a spiritual sense. When I’m around a group of young believers, I get all maternal and just want to gather them around and, well, care for them. So I guess I do have a bit of a shepherd’s heart.
But what really boggles my mind is that rather than viewing us as mere servants or hired help, God calls us His sons and daughters. “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1) He not only brings us into the fold, but He adopts us and makes us HIS OWN.
When I first started this blog, I considered going by the name “The Shepherd’s Daughter.” But it just sounded so…presumptuous. And yet, outrageous as it is, we ARE sons and daughters of the Living King, the “Shepherd and Guardian of our souls.” (1 Peter 2:25)
So here I am. “The Shepherd’s Daughter.” I’m not the only one, for He has many. But I am one. And I am honored to represent my Father and serve in His fields.
The above painting is by English artist William Kay Blacklock. I fell in love with it well over a decade ago when we lived in England, and brought a print of it back to the States with me as a reminder of our years there. It now hangs in our dining room above our piano. It’s name?
I’m really bummed. I found out yesterday that two of my favorite new TV shows, “Awake” and “Unforgettable,” have not been renewed for next season! Now I will never know who murdered Carrie’s sister. Or whether it was Detective Britten’s wife or son who was killed in the “accident.” I mean, come on! You can’t just leave the mysteries unsolved, the stories unfinished! I need closure!
I guess I should choose my shows more carefully. But even when a popular series is continually renewed, the ending can still be unsatisfying. Many of my friends who were “Lost” fans followed it faithfully, only to be disappointed at its conclusion. Their questions were answered, but not in the way they were hoping. So even if my shows had continued, and I had made an even greater investment of time and emotional energy in the story line, I might still be let down with a thud at the end.
It’s all so discouraging.
But it does make me thankful that the story that God is writing is moving forward right on schedule. Mysteries will be solved. Loose ends will be tied up. Questions will be answered. We won’t be left hanging. “O LORD, You are my God; I will exalt You, I will give thanks to Your name; For You have worked wonders, plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness.” (Isaiah 25:1)
And Romans 5:5 assures us that we won’t be disappointed with the ending: “And this hope will not lead to disappointment.” In fact, it far exceeds our wildest imaginations! “That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.'” (1 Corinthians 2:9) Oh, this is going to be good! Pop the popcorn and pull up a chair. I can hardly wait!
While these fictional television dramas can be a nice diversion and a way to relax at the end of a long day, they are not real life. Maybe God is trying to tell me to invest more in the stories unfolding in the lives of people who actually exist, rather than getting so wrapped up in characters and plots that are merely the product of some television writer’s imagination. And perhaps more of my time and energy can be devoted to the greatest story ever told–His Story, the one that is marching towards completion, the one that will never disappoint!
“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
It must be graduation season, because this verse keeps popping up everywhere. I see it on key chains, picture frames and cards. It could easily be called “The Graduation Verse.” And rightly so, as it gives confidence to those newly minted graduates venturing out into an unknown future. I decided to do a little digging into this well-known verse to see if I might unearth some lesser-known insights. As usual, God and His Word did not disappoint.
God has a plan. “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.” Anyone familiar with the little booklet “The Four Spiritual Laws” knows this. In my years on the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ, I heard this phrase repeated so many times it began to sound cliche. Yet Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us that God does indeed have a plan for our lives.
The word for “plans” can be translated designs, intentions, purposes and thoughts. The King James renders the first part of the verse this way: “I know the thoughts that I think toward you…” The fact that God has a purpose for our lives is certainly reassuring. But the fact that the God of the Universe would spend time…thinking…of us? What an incredible thought!
His plan is good. When I looked up the word “good,” the familiar Hebrew word shalom greeted me! We most often associate “peace” with this word. Shalom also carries with it the idea of completeness, soundness and welfare. The “good” God has planned goes beyond superficial and fleeting happiness based upon material or circumstantial blessings. His greatest desire is that we experience lasting, inner peace and well-being as we are made whole in Him.
His heart is good. He does not will disaster upon us. If we insert all of the other words the Bible uses for the Hebrew word for disaster, it looks like a veritable thesaurus and reads something like this:
“My plans for you are not for adversity, affliction, calamity, disaster, discomfort, distress, evil, harm, hurt, ill, injury, misery, misfortune, pain, sorrow, trouble, woe, wretchedness, or wrongdoing.”
Staying close to Christ will undoubtedly protect us from much heartache in this life. We are not, however, promised that we will be completely insulated from sorrow and pain. Life in a fallen world means we WILL experience difficulty. But we do have the promise that Jesus will be our Shalom in the midst of it (John 16:33) and that God will take “bad” things and use them for our ultimate good (Romans 8:28). I liked the way Matthew Henry summed it up in his commentary on this verse: “We often do not know our own minds, but the Lord is never at an uncertainty. We are sometimes ready to fear that God’s designs are all against us; but as to His own people, even that which seems evil, is for good.”
It ends well. The word for “future” means posterity, end. Look at how the King James version translates it: “I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Matthew Henry continues, “He will give them, not the expectations of their fears, or the expectations of their fancies, but the expectations of their faith; the end he has promised, which will be the best for them.” Our story has a happy ending.
Jesus is our hope. When I looked up the word for “hope,” I was intrigued to find the Hebrew word tiqvah, which literally means “a cord.” The only other place this exact word is used is in Joshua 2, when the spies offered to save Rahab because of her kindness and faith. A scarlet cord (tiqvah) placed in her window marked her dwelling and spared her and her family from destruction.
I love this description from Scofield’s Reference Notes: “The scarlet line of Rahab speaks, by its color, of safety through sacrifice.” (Emphasis mine.) Matthew Henry also elaborates on the significance of the tiqvah: “The scarlet cord, like the blood upon the doorpost at the Passover, recalls to remembrance the sinner’s security under the atoning blood of Christ…”
It always comes back to HIM! He is our hope, our tiqvah. As Christians we are marked by a scarlet cord, the blood of Jesus, the precious Passover Lamb. And We Are Safe.
This morning as I lay in bed, pondering this idea of the tiqvah, I happened to glance over at the window and noticed the tassels of the curtain tie-backs dangling down. I had a mental picture of a scarlet cord hanging in my own window as a sign for Jesus to see when He comes back for us. It’s a symbol that calls out, “I am Yours, Lord. You are my Future and my Hope.”
God has a plan for your life. His plan and His heart towards you are good. Your story ends well. So tie your hope to Him! Whether you are graduating, going through difficulty or facing uncertain times, Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us all that “the future is as bright as the promises of God.” (William Carey)
