John 13:7

"You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand." ~ john 13:7

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Hearts & Ivy

It has become something I am learning to expect from God. Seeing Him through the ordinary. Looking for Him in the extraordinary. And that's exactly where He showed up today. As I sat on our couch, in our newly 'decorated' living room...I glanced at the bookshelf that now sits in front of our window. It looks really nice there because the plants are on the top shelf where they can receive good light and we can see them better. I noticed the light coming from behind an ivy that is there. I really like ivy. Come to think of it...I captured one of my favorite pictures of ivy soon after we arrived in Hong Kong. It's one that has ivy woven through a barbed-wire fencing. It caught my eye when we were strolling behind the school one day on our way to the church. It's now my profile picture on my Schoology account. Did I mention that I liked ivy?

Back to the ivy in our den...
I just had to grab my camera and take a few snapshots of this ivy..and I'm quite sure you can tell why. It's the perfect combination for me - hearts in nature...handmade by my Creator for my eyes to see.
I believe God enjoys taking something as simple as an ivy leaf to remind us just how much He is with us, and how much His love for us is beyond our comprehension. I may never be able to grasp how big, how wide, nor how deep He loves me...but there is one thing I can grasp... That is how He is here & there & everywhere. How He's before, behind, above, and below. Always with me, always for me..and never going away.

Finding meaning in a Tree

As I look out the window of our cozy
little den on the first floor, Flat B, for some of the final glimpses of the tree I've grown to love... I see something worth noting in my heart. Once again God has shown me a life lesson through His Creation we call Nature.

Just glancing at the tree, I might just see...well, a tree in the middle of a concrete jungle. But with a closer look & my mind quieted from the noises of life.. I begin to really look at that tree. It's a metaphor of a person. It could be me. I have to examine this thought.

The center of the tree is what my eyes are drawn to. The very center, which by contrast, is unlike the rest of the tree. It isn't green with flourishing leaves. Instead it's brown. Brown with decay & death. I begin to think of the tree as a person. The very center, or core if you will, being the heart.

Giving in to the pains, disappointments and frustrations of our lives over time can cause our hearts to decay. Just recently I had a discouraging, disappointing moment. It was just that. It only took a millisecond of my time. But the lasting effects could cause a huge shift in my life...if I let it. I am quite certain the person causing this has no clue what effect their action has had on me. But if I allow their action and my disappointment to take root in my heart...I know it will be like the brown leaves in the center of that tree. If I let any seeds of bitterness start to grow and I water it with my emotions, then I know where my heart will end up. That's a real temptation for me. I know because that's a real area of sin for me. And guess what? Satan knows it, too. His plan for me would be to dwell on the disappointments so that my heart won't get the nourishment I need from a loving God, and soon it would grow cold, bitter and angry. Just like the way I see the center of that tree.
I have to fight that temptation..and with help I can do it. Alone I don't stand a chance. My Savior came for just these kinds of reasons. To help my heart stay green & flourishing. To help me keep it watered in His love & His Word..which is Truth.

So His revelation out my window this early morning (almost my last here in this tiny, beautiful flat)... has reminded me to see clearly the battle within. Thank you, Jesus, for the picture you've given my heart this day. The good news? You are with me. You are for me. You will help me overcome because you overcame. You've already won, you reign victorious. And you share your victory with me.

"Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life."
Proverbs 4:23