With the flow

Our Western culture seems to teach us that we need. We need to set goals, need to accumulate possessions, need to control our lives and other people; but the fact is that these are all physical or material. What we really need is to just be - a blank canvas that our lives are painted; an open book where God can write our story; or just like the river and go with the flow, moving where God wants our journey to go. Asking for that direction is okay too.

Prayer is living in this moment. It is living in full awareness of what is now and enjoying all of it in its abundance. We can trust God’s presence, believe in Him and find joy by living the life within us. Our culture needs to see more of looking at things through new eyes, to go with the flow and stop pushing the river and waves. We get consumed by needing all the answers.

Today, we have need of seekers and searchers; people who are humble and honest in their trust in God. We don’t have everything figured out, although many certainly think so. Maybe we just need to change and transform our old ways of thinking and look at the world a little differently. Go with the new flow.

“Colossians 3:3-4 New International Version (NIV)
For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”

Scatter the seeds

I am watching my garden grow each day. With some warmer weather now and a few showers of rain, I can actually see various plants coming up. Growth! I am also watering my flowers and I even picked a lilac bouquet from my neighbor’s tree to admire on my kitchen table. I am also noticing a few green shoots in some dirt where I threw a handful of seeds from a package that came in the mail.

The beauty of nature is like our thoughts. We learn, we gain knowledge, we grow in wisdom and through time, we see the results of the nurturing and the care. Sometimes we borrow ideas from others and keep them for ourselves. Sometimes, we randomly throw out thoughts to the the universe, prayers to the Almighty and admire or wonder at our own creations. How surprising and pleased we are when they show as blossoming colors and flowers; yet, there are times when the flowers wilt or don’t pop through the soil. These seasons in our lives are also for growth. Sometimes it’s a time just to rest, to wait, to watch for the new possibilities and opportunities that will be there.

God wants us to grow in our faith. What new learning are we reaching for? What new insights can we glean from his Word? What areas of our life are we working on to improve ourselves? How can we gain wisdom? If we are stagnant and never reaching for the light, our growth will be stunted. Jesus tells of the Parable of the Sower that is mentioned in three gospels: Matthew 13:1-23, Mark 4:1-20, and Luke 8:4-15. Let’s be the seed that understands and believes. Let’s keep growing in our faith.

Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. Colossians 2:7 (NLT)