I’m sitting and overlooking ‘The Great Auditorium’ here in
Ocean Grove. It has been some time since I last wrote. Springtime has turned to
summer as I’ve gone through a transition in my life and what you might call ‘A
Dark Night of the Soul.’ I’m coming out on the other side now and the Spirit of
the Lord has fallen afresh on me.
The last time I posted, spring was unfolding before us. I
was gazing out the window of a little sun porch at the season and sharing its
wonders. Now, I’m in a new season of my life and I have changed location. I was
uncertain of the future and where I would be living the last time I wrote. I
had been looking at the possibility of homelessness once again at that time.
The Lord was gracious to me in my darkest hour and opened the door to a
dwelling for the summer months. I’m gazing out a different window right now. I
can see the ocean from where I sit and I can see all those tents, which were
packed in their cabins this winter, they’re up and inhabited now. Tent City has
come alive. Once again the Lord speaks to my heart from here in Tent City, as
He did many long years ago.
I have been reexamining my life and my direction, constantly
looking to Jesus and for the Lord’s Will. He has been teaching me many things
through the Scriptures. He has given us a guidebook from which to draw and
learn. Sometimes we are called to come and wait before Him to discern the
answers.
I was looking back in my journals the other day, looking to
those things He has taught me in the past and came upon this passage dated May
22, 2008…..
“It has been some time
since I have been able to write. My life has once again gone through a dry time
~ a time too difficult to write. I keep waiting for the better times ~ tired of
writing in the ‘waiting time’. I have come to the end of the road and there
isn’t any way to go ~ it’s a dead end street and only the Lord can make a way.
My money has run out ~ my resources have come to an end. My Lord is my only
answer ~ my only Redeemer.”
This really struck a cord in my heart. My mind was brought
instantly to the book of Ecclesiastes and the cycle of life. I was reminded of
the meaninglessness of life without the Lord. He is the One who brings purpose
and meaning into our lives and makes sense of all things. Life isn’t
meaningless; there is a purpose to it all. It struck me that I’m still in that
waiting time, I’m still facing the same struggles…yet, things have changed in me. My Redeemer lives and He is at
work transforming me! My friends, the Lord is at work in you. It may seem as
though you are caught up within this endless cycle called Life, but He is
transforming you and preparing you according to His plan and His purpose.
As I have shared before, Ocean Grove is known for its many
interesting flower gardens. I was out walking along the street, communing with
the Lord in my heart, while admiring the gardens along the way. I was
questioning the Lord, trying to make sense of current events in my life, when
my attention was grabbed by a white picket fence with a twisted vine wrapped
around it. I went over for a closer look and was delighted by what I saw. I saw
huge, green grape leaves and clusters of juicy grapes. At that moment my mind
returned to a vision God had given me in 2008. All of the events of my life
instantly made sense as I gazed at that vine. The Lord had spoken.
It was within the same week of discovering this vine, in
which I came upon the journal passage written May 22, 2008. I read on in the
journal…
“The Lord has taught
me much in these past few weeks. I was walking home from work ~ thinking how
nice it was to live in Ocean Grove ~ I was just about to thank the Lord that I
lived here and for my home ~ but couldn’t speak. Fear gripped me as I realized
how close I was to losing all ~ for I am at the end of my resources. I could
just see Satan speaking to the Lord, “Go ahead ~ see if she will still thank
you ~ if I take it all away!” It seems that all I thank God for is taken from
me. I walked two blocks, my mouth stopped with fear… and then…I thanked Him all
the way home.
It went on to say…
“The other day God
gave me a vision (like a day dream.) ~ It was a vision of branches pruned all
the way back to the vine ~ nothing was left. I said, “Lord, haven’t I been
pruned enough? ~ There isn’t anything left. I’ve been stripped. Will I not see
any answers in this life? Is my only hope in the life to come? I said that I
would choose to believe and not give up hope.
The vision continued.
The vine burst forth with new growth ~ like a movie in fast-forward. Beautiful,
luscious growth came forth from the vine ~ bushy and bright green ~ and then
grapes popped out ~ lots and lots of grapes ~ plump and juicy. All that is left
in my life is Jesus ~ the vine. He stands out ~ all of me has been cut away. My
life will bring forth new growth and fruit.”
In the gospel of John, the 15th
chapter, we read the words of Jesus…
“I am the true vine,
and My father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit
He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear
more fruit.” Verses 1&2
My brothers and my sisters in Christ…Do not become
discouraged! Do
not become discouraged by the pruning process!! Do not
become disheartened and think that you have failed, that the Lord is punishing
you or that you have done wrong. Yes, we are sinners. We are sinners saved by
grace. If you have confessed known sin, examined and purified your heart before
Him, know that you are being pruned. Notice what His words are saying…
“and every branch that
bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”
We, as believers, are those branches connected to the vine.
Note that this verse says…. “every branch that bears fruit He prunes.” The believer, who is in union with Christ and
bearing fruit, the Vinedresser prunes. Why does He prune us? He prunes us, so
that we might bear even more fruit!
It has been a little more than four years since that day in
May of 2008. I have suffered many
things since then. It only got more intense. I lost much more and I did lose
that home I thanked Him for on that walk. I was driven from my home and
wandered the streets. I was stripped of all things. There wasn’t anything of me left.
I want to encourage all of my brothers and sisters to abide
in Jesus, the true vine. Allow Him to fill you up and produce new growth and
fruit in your life. Don’t be satisfied with withered branches and dried up
fruit. He wants to produce greater things through you for His glory. There
isn’t any greater joy!
“Abide in Me, and I in
you. As the branch can not bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine,
neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches.
He who abides in Me, and I in Him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do
nothing.” Verses 4&5
My friends in
Christ Jesus, we can trust Him to bring forth that healthy new growth and that
plentiful fruit in our lives. This is His desire for us, that we might bear
much fruit in due season. Do not lose heart or give up hope. I am telling you
out of my own experience, that there isn’t any greater joy or peace. I didn’t
lose it all…I have gained much. The losses in your life lead up to an eternal
hope, which does not disappoint.
“By this My Father is
glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be my disciples.”
Vs. 8
Allow Him to
produce that growth and fruit in you through full surrender. May joy, peace and
hope be yours now and forever.
