Character of God
God’s character is so…out of character. At least from our point of view. Take pruning, for example.
One of the most unpleasant tasks of gardening is pruning. Watching branches fall from your beloved tree or rose-laden stems sends a brutal message to that plant: “You are not important; you have no value.”
Is God Callous?
But strangely enough, the God who prunes us takes shears in hand, smiling all the time while cutting away the dead weight from our lives. How callous? No, how caring. Because God sees the final picture. The gleam in His eye alerts us to the beautiful vision He sees of a fruit-bearing plant. Bigger blooms, fragrant flowers, larger and sweeter fruit. He knows what it takes for that to happen, and He wants us to understand the consequences of being left alone.
Joy of Blooming
Who wants to live small, withered, and unproductive? The pain of pruning always results in the joy of blooming more for Him.
Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit (John 15:2, NASB)
How do you feel about pruning? (your real roses, and your own life?) How has God’s pruning helped you bloom?
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