Leaning on Jesus

Leaning on Jesus

It was late winter in Australia and the excitement of approaching spring escalated with a trip to the local nursery. There I stood gazing in wonder at the metal racks filled with packages of seeds. Bright pictures of the hopeful fruit to be achieved from the seeds, adorned the outside of the packets. My mind tumbled with dreams and plans as I enthusiastically worked out my purchases. Armed with many different packets and several heavy bags of seed raising mix, I headed home to start the planting. Across our large, wooden kitchen table I sorted out the paper packages, placing the right amount of plastic containers  next to each one. I had tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, beetroot, cabbage, corn, zucchini and many more all vying for a place on my table. Outside, on a round plastic table, I had the seed raising mixture, scissors and a spoon all ready for the next stage in the project. I carried a packet and selected containers to the table outside, spooning the damp dirt into each punnet. Then I snipped open the package cautiously, and tipped tiny seeds into the palm of my hand. Each seed I placed lovingly and tenderly into the dirt, covering them over and with a spray of water, I carefully moistened the soil. Finally the seeds were all tucked away soundly under their blanket of earth. I placed the trays of planted seeds by the large glass window at the back of our house where the warm winter sun streamed brightly in each day and where they were kept snugly warm by the fire at night.

The thought of the fresh, home grown snow peas, slightly fried with garlic and soy sauce made my mouth water, so I chose to grow the pods. The seeds were large and round like faded dried peas. Within days after being attentively planted and lovingly cared for, tiny green shoots appeared. With in a week, two little leaves adorned each sprout and with all the tenderness of a mother watching over her baby, I continued to nurture their growth. Soon the seedlings were several inches tall and crowding their container with life.Fresh new leaves adorned their vigorous upward growth and tiny fine tendrils started their horizontal journey. Before long a congested growth of snow peas over flowed their punnetts, while their long thin tendrils reached, twisted and twirled their way around their cramped neighbours. My snow peas were growing and leaning haphazardly on each other for support. They would never reach their full potential in such a state. It was certainly time to transplant them into the outdoor bed I had prepared for them, with a sturdy trellis ready for them to climb on. Separating the seedlings was an arduous job, as I broke tendrils and tried to carefully identify each individual plant. Finally, they were planted, detached from each other, and spaced evenly apart  by the framed trellis. Soon their tiny tendrils reached and curled and entwined themselves around the climbing trellis. Higher and higher they grew under the gentle, warming sun. Milky white flowers embellished the plants with the promise of pods to come as they gained strength and height, clinging tenaciously onto the netting on the frame. Days turned into weeks and with the weeks came the development  of the long ,bright green, snow pea pods, ready to harvest and enjoy.

The growth of the snow peas brought to my mind the growth God desires to see in me. I naturally desire to stay snugly in my container, surrounded by others of whom I can lean on, connect with, and entwine my life around. We are all concerned about what people think of us, our reputations. We all desire to please people, to be liked, to receive their approval. We hand others the control over our lives as we wrap our lives around them. We lean on each other, comparing ourselves among ourselves, needing love and feeling empty. We become like the snow peas, over crowded and cluttered in their containers. Tendrils that God created to support our growth upward on a strong solid frame of Jesus, we use to mingle ourselves around each other in a mass of co-dependency. God’s plan is for us to mature and flourish individually, to fulfil His purpose in our lives, to lean on His strength and develop the fruit of the Spirit. Today I am challenged to seek God and His glory first and to weave my life around Him.

John 12:42, 43 “The Pharisees …. loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God.”

John 5:44 “How can you believe, if you accept praise from one another and don't seek the praise that comes from the only God?”

Matt 22:37 Jesus said unto him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.