Post by stingray on Jul 7, 2013 8:34:30 GMT -5
Yesterday morning me and the boys headed out to the raspberry patch to gather as many berry's as we could before the heat and skeeter's got to us. The work was tedious but enjoyable. It's peaceful and quiet, even with the boys. Although every 30 sec the oldest is yelling at the skeeter's. Skeeter's listen just as well as they do sometimes. Just you and your thoughts. As I was picking these berry's which is protected by thorns, I was reminded of how raspberry picking is like our walk with the Lord.
Take the raspberry bush. It grows on its own where it will. Needs little cultivation. Produces delicious fruit for about 4 or 5 weeks. Can be frozen for use during those long cold winters. Normally grows in large groups. On the outer edges it grows small berry's, but just out of arms reach is large, juicy, delicious berry's. 2, 3 and even 4 times bigger than the ones within reach. You can get to these berry's in 2 different ways. First you can just rush in to get as many as possible before the pain of the thorns sticking you forces yo to retreat with your wounds. Or the second way is to move slowly and patiently, carefully moving branches out of way so that you harvest the fruit with little or no harm.
Do you wake each morning, hop out of bed and get going, taking whatever life gives you that day? Then retreat to bed at night licking your wounds blaming God for your life. Or do wake in the morning in anticipation for what the Lord has in store for you? Moving patiently, as you would through a raspberry patch to receive the best that God has for that day. The problem we ALL have is we get anxious and impatient because we don't receive our daily bread quick enough and the amount we think we deserve. We forget that the path to righteousness is about how we deal each day with the thorns, the heat and those pesky skeeter's. Do you ask God to help maneuver you through these daily obstacles or blame God for them?
Philippians 4:6-7: Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Take the raspberry bush. It grows on its own where it will. Needs little cultivation. Produces delicious fruit for about 4 or 5 weeks. Can be frozen for use during those long cold winters. Normally grows in large groups. On the outer edges it grows small berry's, but just out of arms reach is large, juicy, delicious berry's. 2, 3 and even 4 times bigger than the ones within reach. You can get to these berry's in 2 different ways. First you can just rush in to get as many as possible before the pain of the thorns sticking you forces yo to retreat with your wounds. Or the second way is to move slowly and patiently, carefully moving branches out of way so that you harvest the fruit with little or no harm.
Do you wake each morning, hop out of bed and get going, taking whatever life gives you that day? Then retreat to bed at night licking your wounds blaming God for your life. Or do wake in the morning in anticipation for what the Lord has in store for you? Moving patiently, as you would through a raspberry patch to receive the best that God has for that day. The problem we ALL have is we get anxious and impatient because we don't receive our daily bread quick enough and the amount we think we deserve. We forget that the path to righteousness is about how we deal each day with the thorns, the heat and those pesky skeeter's. Do you ask God to help maneuver you through these daily obstacles or blame God for them?
Philippians 4:6-7: Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.