I tend to do "organic devotions" - which means that I go on about my daily life, and then as I see things that remind me of verses, I'll look up the verses and meditate on them. The more I've practiced doing it, the more I truly see Jesus in almost everything.
I stumbled upon this quote by C.S. Lewis the other day that I absolutely love-- "We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade the presence of God. The world is crowded with Him. He walks everywhere incognito."
I stumbled upon this quote by C.S. Lewis the other day that I absolutely love-- "We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade the presence of God. The world is crowded with Him. He walks everywhere incognito."
After work today, I decided to go walking around the lake at a local state park. In true organic devotion fashion, I was just walking when Jesus + my brain just started connecting things.
I'm slightly obsessed with trees. I also really enjoy taking close up pictures. As I was walking around, I started taking pictures of "tree-tails"..a.k.a. details of trees! As I pondered each close up, I started thinking about how my life is a lot like aspects of trees.
Roots
My roots of faith ground me and are essential to survival, life, and growth.
"Once you were alienated and hostile in your minds because of your evil actions. But now He has reconciled you by His physical body through His death, to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before Him - if indeed you remain grounded and steadfast in the faith and are not shifted away from the hope of the gospel that you heard." - Colossians 1:21-23
Cracked and broken branch
There are seasons of brokenness, where I just feel worn down by life and situations. It's okay. I don't need to scurry and try to fix; I just need to be there and let God continue to work.
Jesus says, "Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).
Stump with new shoots
I have to die to myself and my humanness in order to see new things grow.
"But now you must also put away all of the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator." - Colossians 3:8-10
tree fruit! - Pinecones
People see whether I'm a follower of Christ or not by the fruit I produce, just like we know what trees produce acorns and pinecones.
"A good tree doesn't produce bad fruit; on the other hand, a bad tree doesn't produce good fruit. For each tree is known by its own fruit. Figs aren't gathered from thornbushes, or grapes picked from a bramble bush. A good man produces good out of the good storeroom of his heart. An evil man produces evil out of the evil storeroom, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart." - Luke 6:43-45
Just because the bark looks healthy doesn't mean the heart of the tree is. So it is with people. Things aren't always as they appear.
"Man does not see what the Lord sees, for man sees what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart." - 1 Samuel 16:7b
I need to continue to remain connected with Jesus, so His strength can flow through me.
"I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me." - John 15:5
These are great reminders that I needed today. I need to continue working at keeping my heart open to changing and growing and becoming more like Jesus.
"A good tree doesn't produce bad fruit; on the other hand, a bad tree doesn't produce good fruit. For each tree is known by its own fruit. Figs aren't gathered from thornbushes, or grapes picked from a bramble bush. A good man produces good out of the good storeroom of his heart. An evil man produces evil out of the evil storeroom, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart." - Luke 6:43-45
bark
Just because the bark looks healthy doesn't mean the heart of the tree is. So it is with people. Things aren't always as they appear.
"Man does not see what the Lord sees, for man sees what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart." - 1 Samuel 16:7b
branches
I need to continue to remain connected with Jesus, so His strength can flow through me.
"I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me." - John 15:5
These are great reminders that I needed today. I need to continue working at keeping my heart open to changing and growing and becoming more like Jesus.
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