Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Dear God,

Nature gives us many lessons.  If we have eyes to see and ears to hear, then we can see and hear your word.

Much of our contemplative garden was not pruned last year.  So this year the dwarf crabapple was out of control.  The Korean Lilac bush and the plants behind it were intertwined with one another.  The burning bushes were touching the serviceberry tree.  Things looked pretty shaggy and unkempt.  It was evident much work needed to be done.  So we got started.  We clipped and trimmed, pruned and dragged away limbs and branches, and cleaned and cleared.  It has been amazing how the beauty has returned.

As I made deep cuts, I realized how important it is for you to prune us, O Lord.  We grow gangly and ugly by our sin, practices, attitudes, and behaviors.  We forfeit our God-made beauty for something less.  If neglected too long, we lose our way and it is hard to find our way back to our original value.  You, dear God, make the cuts knowing how it will benefit us.  While we may see it as harsh, unnecessary, or painful, you see it as the way to the future.  On our wounds you spread your life-saving grace and somehow we begin to grow once again.  No longer stunted by the past, you point us forward and tiny, beautiful shoots begin to sprout and joy rewards our efforts.

Heavenly Father,
Master of the Cosmos,
thank you
for nature
and its lessons.
Forgive us
when we
fail to
pay attention.
Prune us,
make the cuts
that will
enable us
to grow again.
You are merciful,
O Lord;
you are goodness.

Love, Andrea