Category: Bible (Page 327 of 419)

As a gardener I initially resisted the act of pruning. Why would I take a healthy, strong part of a plant and cut it off? But I quickly learned that pruning focuses growth. Pruning allows the plant to focus its energy on producing fruit that’s sweeter, juicier and fatter.

Which is exactly what the Lord wants us to become—sweeter, juicier and fatter.

To get there the Lord prunes aspects of our lives, or asks us to take up the shears ourselves. Some things seem obvious for me, like turning off the TV and picking up a book, or forgoing that late evening bowl of ice cream (although it tends to help with “fatter”).

But the Lord cuts deeper. I experienced three organizational restructures in four years where I work. Each restructure moved people I enjoyed away. Each changed the cadence of my work and travel. Each shifted my responsibilities and influence. The last cut away a personal vision for contributing to the mission. I felt pruned to the nub.

Here’s what I often miss—the Lord prunes in order to create energy for better fruit. Out of my pruning surfaced time to reflect and look around. A creativity class popped up in my inbox, I signed up and met a great group of encouraging people, and the idea for a daily blog on Bible reading emerged.

Today I’m serving in a new role—in a different department of the same organization—with refreshed vision and space to roam. I anticipate greater contributions to come, and look to the future with excitement.

After pruning, anticipate greater fruitfulness. Not initially as the cuts heal, but as growth takes off in new, unexpected areas (I think one reason gardeners talk to plants is that we want to remind them that the cutting will lead to wonderful fruit).

I am the true vine, and my Father in the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.

In the midst of the pruning, try to remember the promise of the master gardener. He cuts and discards so that you and I might grow sweeter, juicier and fatter.

John 15 in week forty-five of reading the Bible cover to cover

Photo by Markus Spiske

I take breathing for granted, until I’m hiking here in Colorado, or coming up for a breath in the pool. Then I notice my need to breathe.

The week I read in Ezekiel about piles and piles of dry bones forming an army. The Lord put them all together—bones, tendons, flesh and skin—then as the final step breathed life into each.

Today I read the psalmist describe idols from the surrounding nations: They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. They have ears, but cannot hear, nor is there breath in their mouths.

Of course, I don’t expect statues made from precious metals to come alive, but more distressing are the following words for those who look with reverence on such idols and the gods they represent. Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.

Those who follow false gods lose their breath.

Breathing is precious and life-sustaining. How much more the breath of God? The man who follows false gods never gains the breath of God. He never comes alive.

Or, perhaps more pointed toward my life, my choices to turn from the Lord and follow the false gods of this world mean a slow smothering of the breath of God in my life. It’s like I’m sinking farther and farther underwater, ignoring my need to kick to the surface.

No breath in their mouths—a fate I avoid by staying connected with the source of abundant life and breath.

Psalm 135 in week forty-five of reading the Bible cover to cover

Photo by Raj Rana

I’ve always liked Thomas, the doubter among those who walked around with Jesus, probably because I’m a doubter myself. Lots of questions swirl around in my head when I hear someone speak, and although I rarely voice them, I give attention to my doubts.

As Jesus prepared his disciples for his impending crucification and resurrection, he spoke of leaving and returning and how the disciples should understand this—You know the way to the place where I am going.

Thomas responded, “Huh?” Actually, that’s my paraphrase. Thomas really said, Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way? Seems like a good question to me.

Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.

Jesus was going to the Father, and there’s only one way there. That’s what Jesus helped Thomas understand. Thomas knew the way because Thomas knew Jesus.

Despite common platitudes, only one road leads to the top of the mountain—the way of Jesus. Not Buddha, not Confucius, not Krishna, not Kali, not Mohammad, not witchcraft, not paganism, not secret societies, not wisdom, not education, not donating massive amounts of money to charity, not a life of good works outweighing the bad, and especially not some vague belief in an absorption into the universe.

Only Jesus.

No doubt.

John 14 in week forty-five of reading the Bible cover to cover

Photo by Quaritsch Photography

In an unforgettable flash of creative energy, God breathed life into a valley of dry bones. The passage reads like something from The Lord of the Rings (JRR Tolkien, a committed Christian, undoubtedly held Ezekiel 37 in the back of his mind while writing that section).

Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!

God called for tendons and flesh and skin. There was noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together…tendons and flesh appeared and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

Next, God breathed life into their bodies. Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe life into these slain, that they may live. Breath entered, and born again they stood on their feet—a vast army.

Reminiscent of the creation account in Genesis when the Lord breathed life into Adam, after molding his body from the dust.

Also reminiscent of the cross, where God took one life, and by doing so breathed fresh, eternal life into the world. What were we in our sin but dry bones? Piles of discarded pieces with no spiritual life? The Lord animated you and me, put tendons and flesh together and breathed new life in us. And so we stand before him today.

I will put my Spirit in you and you will live. With the Lord is life. Without the Lord I’m just a bag of bones.

Ezekiel 37 in week forty-five of reading the Bible cover to cover

Photo by Trollinho