Let the Beauty of Your Garden Draw Others to Gleen from Your Life In Christ
A garden in full swing is a benefit to many insects. As plants produce flower and foliage they are soon visited by a variety of creatures in search of the nectar that they require to survive or the plant whose foliage gives the much needed energy which the need in order to reproduce after their own kind.
But the insects aren't the only ones that benefit. The plants themselves benefit from these visitors.
God's design for our lives, like the garden of Eden, is that we produce after our own kind.
Matthew 28:19 is a mandate for the Christian life
"Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, ..."
Genesis 1:11 shows God's sovereign plan at the conception of all of creation.
Then God said, "Let the land sprout with vegetation--every sort of seed-bearing plant, and trees that grow seed-bearing fruit. These seeds will then produce the kinds of plants and trees from which they came." And that is what happened.
In order for some plants to grow and flourish they need to be visited by a variety of pollinators. Pollinators, such as bees or butterflies inadvertently transfer pollen from one plant to another and provide the necessary vehicle for the pollen to leave the anther and come into contact with the stigma of the flower.
Once this exchange occurs, a pollen tube forms that carries the pollen grain, or male gamete, down the structure of the flower into the ovary of the plant where it is fertilized forming a zygote.
It is this conception that allows the plant to produce seeds that will carry on the legacy of the plants DNA.
Like a flower that draws in creatures to visit and partake of it's goodness for energy and reproduction, our lives should draw others in to partake of the goodness of the Lord producing disciples.
As we open ourselves up with the fragrance of Christ to those around us, we invite others to join us in receiving strength and growing through productive lives that we come in contact with.
These relationships are mutually refreshing and beneficial to the Christian as well as of primary importance for our growth, maturity and fruit production.
Paul speaks of this afore mentioned refreshing in Philemon 4-7 and 20
A byproduct or side effect of this refreshing for the Christian, is the potential to produce more fruit.
The more pollinators that visit a plant, the more fruit it will produce and the point of a fruit's life is to provide the seeds for the next generation to carry on their legacy of DNA.
What a wonder the Christian life in community is! As we freely offer our lives as a fragrant offering to the Lord. we draw others into the garden of our lives where they are replenished and revitalized and as a result we all produce more fruit.
Ephesians 5:1-2 reminds us of the importance of laying our lives down for the good of others.
II Corinthians 2:14-15 states:
Let our lives be fragrant with your Love O God so that many will come and drink from the well-spring of the knowledge of Christ in us and so by doing, produce an abundant crop for the Your kingdom through refreshing nourishing relationships that perpetuate the DNA of a life filled with Christ!
But the insects aren't the only ones that benefit. The plants themselves benefit from these visitors.
God's design for our lives, like the garden of Eden, is that we produce after our own kind.
Matthew 28:19 is a mandate for the Christian life
"Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, ..."
Genesis 1:11 shows God's sovereign plan at the conception of all of creation.
Then God said, "Let the land sprout with vegetation--every sort of seed-bearing plant, and trees that grow seed-bearing fruit. These seeds will then produce the kinds of plants and trees from which they came." And that is what happened.
In order for some plants to grow and flourish they need to be visited by a variety of pollinators. Pollinators, such as bees or butterflies inadvertently transfer pollen from one plant to another and provide the necessary vehicle for the pollen to leave the anther and come into contact with the stigma of the flower.
Once this exchange occurs, a pollen tube forms that carries the pollen grain, or male gamete, down the structure of the flower into the ovary of the plant where it is fertilized forming a zygote.
It is this conception that allows the plant to produce seeds that will carry on the legacy of the plants DNA.
Like a flower that draws in creatures to visit and partake of it's goodness for energy and reproduction, our lives should draw others in to partake of the goodness of the Lord producing disciples.
As we open ourselves up with the fragrance of Christ to those around us, we invite others to join us in receiving strength and growing through productive lives that we come in contact with.
These relationships are mutually refreshing and beneficial to the Christian as well as of primary importance for our growth, maturity and fruit production.
Paul speaks of this afore mentioned refreshing in Philemon 4-7 and 20
I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ. For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.
A byproduct or side effect of this refreshing for the Christian, is the potential to produce more fruit.
Jesus chose us to do just that! John 15:16-17 says:
You did not choose me, but I chose you, I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. This is my command: Love each other.
The more pollinators that visit a plant, the more fruit it will produce and the point of a fruit's life is to provide the seeds for the next generation to carry on their legacy of DNA.
What a wonder the Christian life in community is! As we freely offer our lives as a fragrant offering to the Lord. we draw others into the garden of our lives where they are replenished and revitalized and as a result we all produce more fruit.
Ephesians 5:1-2 reminds us of the importance of laying our lives down for the good of others.
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
When we walk in love, the fragrance of our lives goes before the Lord and He is glorified through our lives.
II Corinthians 2:14-15 states:
But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing...
Let our lives be fragrant with your Love O God so that many will come and drink from the well-spring of the knowledge of Christ in us and so by doing, produce an abundant crop for the Your kingdom through refreshing nourishing relationships that perpetuate the DNA of a life filled with Christ!
Comments
Post a Comment