In order that we may bear more
fruit, God the Father prunes us. Sometimes well-meaning Christians have cut too
much too soon, hindering growth. A dear but sadly abused child of God pictured
her experience in the following poem:
A friend of mine whose grapevines died was about to
throw them away.
I said, "I'll take your vines and make something
special of them today."
As I gently bent one vine, entwining round and round,
A rustic wreath began to form, potential did abound.
One vine would not go where it should, and anxious as
I was,
I forced it so to change its shape, it broke--and what
the cause?
If I had taken precious time to slowly change its
form,
It would have made a lovely wreath, not a dead vine,
broken, torn.
As I finished bending, adding blooms, applying trim,
I realized how that rustic wreath is like my life
within.
You see, so many in my life have tried to make me
change.
They've forced my spirit anxiously, I tried to
rearrange.
But when the pain was far too great, they forced my
fragile form;
I plunged far deeper in despair, my spirit broken,
torn.
Then God allowed a gentle one who knew of dying vines,
To kindly, patiently allow the Lord to take His time.
And though the vine has not yet formed a decorative
wreath,
I know that with God's servant's help one day when
Christ I meet
He'll see a finished circle, a perfect gift to Him.
It will be a finished product, a wreath with all the
trim.
So as you look upon this gift, the vine round and
complete,
Remember God is using you to gently shape His wreath.
Father God, thank You for Your unconditional love and
acceptance.
Dr. Anderson, Freedom in Christ and Harvest House Publishers www.ficm.org
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