Steadfast Change

"He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers. Psalm 1:3"

This verse got me thinking about seasons of prosperity and fruit and seasons of growth. A tree doesn't always bear fruit continually (only in heaven!), and has seasons where the fruit is growing and budding.

In today's reading of 365 days with Wilberforce, the author reveals Wilberforce's perseverance in the lives of his children, in particular, his son Samuel: "'Above all, my dearest Samuel,' he wrote to his son on his tenth birthday, 'I am anxious to see in you decisive marks of this great change. I come again and again to examine his fruit trees, and see if his peaches are set, and if they are swelling and becoming larger; finally, if they are becoming ripe and rosy. I would willingly walk barefoot from this place "near London" to Sandgate, to see a clear proof of it in my dear Samuel at the end of my journey.'"

It's amazing to think about the time God invests in His children to sanctify, and to cultivate fruit in them that is glorifying to Him and for our eternal good. Daily I am reminded of God's amazing grace that continues to flow- and how short I fall continually. It seems to me that God is in the process of showing me just how much I am to depend on His grace, and on His goodness to me, because my sin continues to flare up and destroy any feelings of self-sufficiency or self-righteousness. How free we truly are in Him! His pleasure in us does not depend on our works, but on His Son Jesus, and what He did at calvary for our sins. God is merciful to me because of Jesus. And above that- because of His promise to Christ, I am "grafted" in to the blessing of Heaven. When an individual truly understands the unending faithfulness of the Lord, and that we truly are in Him, the weight of guilt is lifted and we are given wings to fly. This understanding seems to follow a deep, dark realization of our complete helplessness, and with that harrowing moment we for a moment begin to fear that God will forsake- why would He stay faithful to a wretched sinner like me who cannot escape but seems to sin right in the face of Grace? But God. To SHOW the riches of His grace. Incredible.

photo credit: carissa gallo

(Aspiring Girl = Joanna)