Witnesses



“that they might be called trees of righteousness,
the planting of the Lord, that He may be Glorified.”

Isaiah 61:13

just wanted to share a small discussion my husband and i had this afternoon on seeds and roots. our Father speaks to us in regard to seeds...and i'm sure somewhere today or in history someone has made this parallel...but here goes.

with much reflection lately i have been thinking of my walk with the Lord. what i and people can see and what we cannot. sometimes it's easy to judge a book by it's cover...isn't that the way the old saying goes?   but we're not supposed to, as we go page by page there is something grand that unfolds within that at times we would be so amazed, moved, motivated, inspired, convicted, transformed by...if only we would patiently wait & persevere through.  unbeknownst to us, beautiful things are happening that we just cannot see…we must be patient and believe that our lives are in His hands.

at the same time...i was talking to him (my husband) about the disarray of our lives, what we see...our home, expectations, etc. he was very frustrated...and i so wanted to help...i am called to be his "helpmeet". so, then began thinking of how Jesus spoke of us "as seeds" ...***
 

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and how you know when an acorn falls to the ground...you can't see it growing. but our Father cares for it, first sending out the roots...everything above ground looks the same. after a little while there begins to show a little hope of a tree beginning. (most of the time going unnoticed by all of us) and through many rains, seasons of drought, severe storms, beautiful sunshiny days...eventually it becomes a Mighty Oak.
 

Perseverence takes Trust. as a believer, we must not let our trust be shaken. our Father in Heaven knows and has it all in His hands, just like the oak...from seed to roots, to immaturity, youth and flourishing maturity.

 

  after many weeks now of discouragement and prayer, disappointments because of my own expectations, and many an emotional day...i am encouraged by the Lord once more in regard to the above message. i began to write this post several months ago...and since it was fresh on my mind then and not now...ofcourse, i could not give you all of the details. but perhaps i was meant to share how it relates to this very moment in time. 

the week and weekend before last i was completely overwhelmed by everything...and super emotional. one thing that truly affects me is the salvation of my children, and those around me, most times i am more pained by the very thought of a lost soul than i am any health problem...including the big ones.   that is not to say that i have no compassion or empathy, but generally it does not affect me as deeply as one who is lost.  

so at the end of the weekend we shared our plight with some of our christian family, our concerns and prayers...and i must share with you how Faithful our Lord has been to answer all of our prayers by encouraging me in Perseverance and Trust...as we continue to seek Him for counsel and ask Him to show us ourselves before Him.  well, since sunday we have had many encounters with people we had never met before and some i had known a while...and each filled me up with great encouragement concerning the training up of our children.  several, nearly all, also spoke to my children with such wise and gentle authority, without knowing a thing of our trials and concerns...that it could only have been of the Lord.!

most of all, i want to share something that my grandpa said to me last week...

it was the most simple answer and reminder...

We are His Witnesses, not His enforcers

We can never force or coerce someone into salvation.

that is the Holy Spirit's job, and God will do the work in His own timing.

We must never lose Faith in what we are praying for, trust the Lord for His work and timing.

We walk in obedience, focusing on Love and Truth.

The Truth will set us Free.

somehow it has happened that i forgot my children are His little seeds, and that He is Faithful to care for them...our prayers have been heard...and though we cannot for certain see the roots growing, at this time, i will rest in His will, and pray for the planting of Great and Mighty Oaks...for His Glory.

whoever you are reading this post, wherever you are in life, may you also be quickened by the Lord to Trust and Persevere, through whatever trials that come your way.