Today is all about bells and pomegranates. In case the reader is wondering, there were bells and pomegranates around robe that Aaron wore as he ministered to the Lord as high priest. A long time ago, a friend shared with me something she had heard. She heard that the bells represented the gifts of the Spirit (1 cor. 12) and the pomegranates represent the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5). Without the pomegranates, the bells would clank together like a clanging gong (1 Cor. 13). With the pomegranates, the bells would make a beautiful tinkling sound. The gifts are only effective in a way that is pleasing to the Lord when there is fruit mixed in.
First the bells: The gifts and calling of God are without repentance (Romans 11:29). He never takes them back. I have gifts that God has given me. I rely on the Holy Spirit to power those gifts. I can prophesy, teach, exhort or do any number of things completely by the Spirit. It is possible to exercise the gifts totally devoid of the fruit. If that were not possible, Paul wouldn't have warned us: "If I speak the languages of men and of angels, but do not have love, I am a sounding gong or a clanging cymbal..." (1 Cor. 13:1-3) Scary thought.
Now the pomegranates: Fruit is grown. Unlike the gifts that are given and not taken back, fruit only grows when the branch is connected to the vine. Jesus said, "Remain in Me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me." (John 15:4) There is no way we can lose our salvation that Jesus gave to us who believe , but we can lose connection to His vine when we do not spend actual time in communion with Him. In other words, if my devotional life stinks, I don't produce fruit. I risk being tossed into the fire by the Husbandman.
In short, devotion to communion with the Lord creates the fruit of the Spirit in my life. Without a vibrant connection to the Vine, I risk wielding the gifts of the Spirit like a sword, cutting into others instead of sharing a mix of fruit and gifts. That cannot be pleasing to the Lord!
Lord, help me remember pomegranate, bell, pomegranate, bell, pomegranate so that I can be one who brings Your Truth in love in a way that brings people to Your cross.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Explosion of Life
Today all the trees look pretty much dead. Driving along the streets that are still covered with sand from the winter, everywhere I look is brown and gray. Even the sky is gray. Will winter ever go away! Day after day, the grayness has held its grasp on my world. Even the occasional breaks of sunlight hasn't changed anything. Gray and dead all around.
Yet, deep within the heart of all that looks so dead dwells a powerful seed of life waiting to explode. The seed is hidden at the moment but that does not make it any less potent. One warm day, those seeds of life will explode. The world will break forth in splendid color. Gray will be replaced by pinks and oranges and greens and blues. All of God's critters will begin to run and frolic again. The sounds of song birds and children at play will blow away the cold winter winds. Then everyone will know that the appearance of death was just a temporary condition. The world is alive again.
Each spring, I am blessed to see resurrection playing out. In the same way, it appeared that there was no life left in Jesus when they placed Him in a tomb. But a few days later, the seed of resurrection life burst forth in His body and death could not keep Him. This year I needed a personal resurrection reminder for myself.
Ever experience gray days of winter in life? Unlike summer time and autumn when everything blooms and grows, winter is a season of no productivity. Projects never seem to get finished. Enthusiasm and excitement for new ideas have long gone. Every day appears to be the same. The alarm clock says it is time to get up so you drag your sorry carcass out of bed ready to do the same thing as yesterday and accomplish next to nothing. How depressing is that!
As I was driving down the street yesterday, I heard the cold wind, I saw the brown and gray all around me. I was so sick of winter, both literally and figuratively. Then I heard the still small voice of the Lord. "The same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you!" Then I saw it. The tiny seed of resurrection life deep in my heart waiting to explode. Just like winter is unable to stop spring from bursting forth, nothing can stop the Jesus' resurrection life within me. The bad report from the doctor can't. The unfinished projects can't. Even my poor attitude can't.
The trees aren't really dead. They just look that way for a season. The brown and gray have not taken over forever. It just seems that way. My lesson for today is to remember that even in the darkest winter, life is still there just waiting. In God's perfect timing, there will be an explosion of life and winter will fade. So today I say, "Wind, you go ahead and blow. Grayness, you go ahead and manifest your pallor. I see the seeds of life and they are ready to explode!"
Romans 8:11: And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then He who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through His Spirit who lives in you.
Yet, deep within the heart of all that looks so dead dwells a powerful seed of life waiting to explode. The seed is hidden at the moment but that does not make it any less potent. One warm day, those seeds of life will explode. The world will break forth in splendid color. Gray will be replaced by pinks and oranges and greens and blues. All of God's critters will begin to run and frolic again. The sounds of song birds and children at play will blow away the cold winter winds. Then everyone will know that the appearance of death was just a temporary condition. The world is alive again.
Each spring, I am blessed to see resurrection playing out. In the same way, it appeared that there was no life left in Jesus when they placed Him in a tomb. But a few days later, the seed of resurrection life burst forth in His body and death could not keep Him. This year I needed a personal resurrection reminder for myself.
Ever experience gray days of winter in life? Unlike summer time and autumn when everything blooms and grows, winter is a season of no productivity. Projects never seem to get finished. Enthusiasm and excitement for new ideas have long gone. Every day appears to be the same. The alarm clock says it is time to get up so you drag your sorry carcass out of bed ready to do the same thing as yesterday and accomplish next to nothing. How depressing is that!
As I was driving down the street yesterday, I heard the cold wind, I saw the brown and gray all around me. I was so sick of winter, both literally and figuratively. Then I heard the still small voice of the Lord. "The same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you!" Then I saw it. The tiny seed of resurrection life deep in my heart waiting to explode. Just like winter is unable to stop spring from bursting forth, nothing can stop the Jesus' resurrection life within me. The bad report from the doctor can't. The unfinished projects can't. Even my poor attitude can't.
The trees aren't really dead. They just look that way for a season. The brown and gray have not taken over forever. It just seems that way. My lesson for today is to remember that even in the darkest winter, life is still there just waiting. In God's perfect timing, there will be an explosion of life and winter will fade. So today I say, "Wind, you go ahead and blow. Grayness, you go ahead and manifest your pallor. I see the seeds of life and they are ready to explode!"
Romans 8:11: And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then He who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through His Spirit who lives in you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)