Push Thru

Push Thru...

That seemed to be the message reflected in everything this morning. Life is made up of seasons, changes are God’s specialty for us and we all “know” that, but it can be difficult to daily live in that knowledge. We can tho’, choose to ignore a change God wants for us and be content to stay anchored in a season far longer than God intended. I mean imagine summer – vacations, warm days at the beach, bbq with friends…It’s all hot dogs and apple pie, right? But where would we be without the cool fall days to ease the scorch of summer and winter’s chill to slow our pace and ready creation for the bursting of life in spring? Summer is good, but is has its place.

As I started to the labyrinth today, I had to lift the big duranta branch to clear the path and push thru. When we know we’re at a cross road and the season is changing all God asks us to do is step with Him ~ from the familiar to our future. HE is fully aware of the walls put up by the familiar and so often they can be just as pretty as this duranta! That’s why it is so very important to seek, ask and pray when stepping.

I was reminded of this when I saw the summer growth of the giant timber bamboo. Big shoots are pushing thru the hard ground, right there next to the 40 foot giants. They don’t all make it, tho’. Not sure why, but they just stop pushing. For some perhaps, the growth came too close to winter’s chill, for others the proximity of the ones nearest left no room for growth.

For all of us, God’s chosen-His beloved children, there is a plan for our seasons. He has a purpose for us to “push thru”. For me, I take great comfort in knowing that I don’t need to know…as if I could know God’s whole/perfect plan for me, hello?!?!?

So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover’s life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God.

Philippians 1:9-11 ~ The Message Version

Push thru 

~ one step of faith at a time 

~ one prayer at a time 

~ thru the familiar, to the fruitful

"...a life Jesus will be proud of."