I'm not really a plant expert. I love plants, and our house is full of quite a number of them, but I'm afraid if it were up to me alone, a lot of the plants we have wouldn't still be green and growing. Thankfully my husband has acquired a bit of a green thumb, and he's also just a lot better than I am at remembering to water them (apparently this is one of the big secrets of keeping plants alive...who knew?). Anyway, when it comes to my lack of expertise about plants, I like to think I make up for it with my deep appreciation of them.
I'm slightly embarrassed to admit that I only recently learned about the concept of propagating plants using cuttings. Did you know that for a lot of plants, you can cut off a few of their leaves (with stems attached), stick them in water, and they will develop their own new roots that can then be planted and form the start of another whole plant just like the one you got the leaves from? How cool is that!? I guess there is a good chance you already knew about this, but just imagine if you didn't. Wouldn't it seem rather miraculous?
Actually, I think there are quite a lot of miraculous things about plants. We're just so used to seeing them everywhere that we kind of forget. We take for granted that seeds will turn into sprouts and then eventually produce stems and leaves and blossoms. That flowers will come bursting into bloom each spring. That trees lose their leaves each winter and then grow them back year after year. We are literally witnessing the miracle of life all around us and most days we barely bat an eye or think twice about what's happening.
But what if we started paying a little more attention to the plants we encounter in our daily lives? What if there were continually lessons we could be learning just by watching? Imagine what we could be learning by noticing what these plants do, how they function, what makes them grow.
I remember one time I had a cutting of a philodendron plant and couldn't figure out why it wasn't rooting. It turns out, I didn't have the right part of the plant submersed in water. As soon as I made a slight adjustment, and the philodendron was in clean water at the place where the roots are supposed to form, it only took a few days until roots appeared and started growing.
I can't help but think that this picture of roots growing when a plant spends time immersed in clean water is a metaphor for our spiritual lives. If we are feeling dried up or worn out or just not very "rooted", maybe what we need is to dip our hearts in the Living Water that is Jesus. As we spend time in His presence - and abide there - He will do that same miracle within us. The words of a hymn I remember from my church growing up come to mind...
Jesus, Rock of Ages, let me hide myself in Thee
Jesus, Living Water, let me drink from Your flowing stream.
Your love comes pouring in my life, fills my heart til it overflows
You revive my dying spirit til it blossoms and grows
(click here to listen)
Jesus, Rock of Ages, by M. Gerald Derstine, 1973
Wherever you are today, whatever part of the process you are in, may you experience the satisfaction of your roots growing as you spend time immersed in the Source of Life. And as we continue to look ahead to Serve-a-Thon and keep praying over this upcoming event, may God form the roots that He desires to form, within us and the relationships we are building as we serve. May our eyes be open to see the miracle of life growing in its many forms.
Above: a collection of cuttings taking root behind our kitchen sink one summer, along with a variety of flowers from our yard and a couple other little plants. I'm thankful for these simple visual reminders of the miracle of life!
Pray with me...
... God, please form deeper and stronger roots within the hearts of all in the ACSD community, so that all our serving comes out of our relationship with You
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Colossians 2:6-7
... Father, help us to daily practice serving each other and sharing with each other the miracles of life we see
You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. Galatians 5:13
... Lord, please strengthen all the relationships surrounding Serve-a-Thon and develop roots as You see fit
For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations. Isaiah 61:11
Thanks for taking the time to read this blog and pray for Alliance Christian School District! Lord willing, I plan to publish a new blog post weekly on Wednesdays throughout the school year. Feel free to subscribe (at the bottom of this page) if you'd like to be notified each time a new blog post has been published. We also have a prayer team that is always open for new pray-ers to join. If you'd like to learn more, email me at cwarner@alliancechristian.org.
~ Carrie Warner, ACSD Prayer Team Coordinator
Soli Deo Gloria
To God alone be the glory
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