So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Col 2:6-7
Usually, when I’m in the garden and I see everything growing in abundance… yes, especially the weeds… my mind wonders off to the truth of our hearts being like soil. I tend to think about the seeds growing in my heart – is it seeds of hope and truth or is it weeds that needs attention sooner than later? Mostly I end up with a combination of both and I ask the Lord to help me rid the weeds so that God’s word can truly grow in me and not be choked by the world, my wrong doings or unbelief. Today, however, as I transferred our little bean seedlings from a tray to the big wide world…
I considered the following: Am I where God wants me to be?
I couldn’t help but wonder, just like this little plant – We grow in truth and we pray like Jabez for the Lord to enlarge our territory, for His name sake. We want to mature year on year but are we making it possible for the Lord to “transplant” us from where we are now, to where He wants us to be right now? To give you an example; where I’m at my work place, I might always be polite, considerate towards other people, I make it clear that I’m a Christian without bashing everyone with the Bible whilst bearing fruit for others to see the Light in me. But that’s where it stops… Might it be that as I’m maturing in Christ being rooted and built up in Him, could it be that God wants to put me in a different “location” now? Could it be that I am ready to give a testimony making myself completely and utterly vulnerable for the WORLD (ok, my colleagues) to ask me a question about my faith that I might not be able to answer because whilst I’m not on milk anymore – I’m certainly not eating steaks in my quiet time with the Lord. The thing is, I don’t believe the Lord will put us somewhere and not give us the power to handle our “location”. Yes, the wonder working powerful Holy Spirit who lives in us, has empowered us but are we taking this advantage that sets us apart or are we pushing it to one side. May I encourage you today (while I’m considering this little bean plant) to search your heart and to ask yourself – Can the Lord put me where He wants me, or am I the one preventing Him to do so?
Look, the great news is… that we are rooted and established IN HIM!!! Where I go, HE GOES! So please don’t get the impression that you need to be “uprooted” when you abide in the vine – no ways! This must be the most exciting part of what I believe the Lord is saying to me. It might be uncomfortable to do something outside of your comfort zone and you might think “really?? It’s not going to make a difference!” but remember that our Shepherd are the One who are interested in every single sheep – the one person you’re giving your testimony to next time you go into the office, the shop or speak to a school mum – our precious Savior, is longing to be in a life-long relationship with that person too. Is my heart overflowing with thankfulness causing me to behave in a way that I can be… where God wants me to be?
Elna is a wife, mother and a song writer.