A BLESSED FLOURISHING

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is My word that goes out from My mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.

This will be for the Lord’s renown, for an everlasting sign, that will endure forever.

Isaiah 55:10-13

This ends today’s reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Given a choice between living a boring, mundane life or one that thrived and made a difference, I think most people would choose the latter. We seek to have an innate desire to live lives that are meaningful and productive. People want to feel like they count for something, not like they are good for nothing.

So how do we get to the place where we can flourish in what we do, what we say, and what we think?

Today’s passage, taken from the closing verses of Isaiah, Chapter 55, provides us the answer.

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is My word that goes out from My mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.

This will be for the Lord’s renown, for an everlasting sign, that will endure forever.  Isaiah 55:10-13

The spring season is one of my favorite times of the year. Winter ends and living things that slumbered under the surface, come to life in brilliant beauty and majesty, fueled by warmer temperatures and the onset of steady bouts of rainfall. Just as the snow had fallen from the heavens, nothing more than frozen precipitation, the spring rains fall to water the earth, making it bud and flourish. Flowers sprout up in all their colorful grandeur. Trees, like the dogwoods in my front yard, bud and then bloom the most gorgeous white flowers. Grassy yards come alive, stunningly lush and full and green. And the fields and orchards begin to produce seeds for the sower as well as bread and other foods of sustenance for eaters, of which we are all counted.

It’s through this wonderful illustration of how God nourishes the earth and helps it grow into something of magnificence that we find our guidance as to how He can do the same for us in our lives. For when we receive the word of the Lord and allow it to water our hearts, minds, and souls, then something amazing happens. It blooms and makes us into the people that He desires to achieve the purposes He has for us.

In other words, when we take in the scriptures and allow them to digest, the spiritual nourishment we receive leads to abundant fruitfulness in all we do, for we are doing it in the name of the Lord. Our every thought, spoken word, and deed become pleasing in His sight and the sight of all creation. We go forth in the joy of the Lord, carrying out His will and way in peace, our lives showing that there is something special in our spirit because we have the Holy Spirit dwelling in our hearts, minds, and souls. And in the end translation, after we carry out what He would have us do, God gets all the glory for we are doing everything for His renown and not our own.  

It’s beautiful imagery and the best part about it is that this imagery can become a reality. All we need to do is allow this word from the Lord’s mouth to take root within us.

Are you allowing that to happen in your life today?

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

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