The older I get, the more and more I realize just how cool plants are. I’m not quite what I’d call a crazy plant lady, but the more and more I learn about plants, the more I see how full of analogies and lessons plants are. The other day as I was on a walk, I noticed that a neighbor had put bed sheets over their bushes. At first, I thought it was funny and looked a little silly, but then I remembered how cold I was and I realized that it was actually a very practical and kind thing they had done, to save their plants from the first frost of the season!
For some reason, this analogy has stuck with me for weeks now and I am just piecing together why. I have been facing a big issue at work lately, probably the heaviest and most challenging issue of my teaching career yet. I’ll spare you the details, but essentially, I’ve been reminded that we have a real enemy, the devil, at work in our world. I have felt discouraged, defeated, tired, and unsupported. The spiritual aspect of this problem has felt heavy at times, but I’ve been encouraged by God little by little and dealing with this issue as best I feel I can as it progresses and continues.
With all that said, these little plants being protected by their owner, reminded me of myself and of you. I believe that God is our protector and that he covers us in ways that we don’t even notice. So while we have an enemy at work around us like the frost…we also have a God who loves us, sees us, and shelters us, like the bed sheets 🙂
The “Threads” of God’s Covering For Us:
1. Scripture. Reminds of us God’s truth and His promises. God’s literal armor for us…it teaches us, guides us, gives us hope, encouragement, correction…It equips us for the work God desires us to do. It reminds us of God’s truth and of His commands. It helps us learn about the character of God and in turn, helps us to live our lives in a way that pleases and honors Him…we want to reflect His character and we can’t do that if we don’t know Him or His word! His word, if we read it and meditate on it, turns into revelation, which allows us to know what God wants us to do and ushers us into obedience and the path God intends for us.
2. Worship Music. Ushers us into the presence of God! Helps us to be able to express our gratitude, joy, sorrow, and all the ranges of emotions we feel to God. Helps us to speak and sing truth over ourselves, through good times and hard times! A way for God to speak to us and encourage us!
3. Prayer. Connects us to God, and gives us a line to speak to and hear from Him. A way for us to share how we feel with God, a way for us to repent, to receive correction and guidance!
4. Wise Counsel. A way for us to seek not only wisdom but encouragement and help in times of need in our lives. To hear from people with more experience who can speak into our situations…people who truly know you, know God, and who are willing & able to tell you the truth!
Just think…one prayer, two prayers, a worship song that shifts your focus back to God, a verse that speaks right to the situation you’re in…a friend who speaks an encouraging word over you on a hard day…little by little, God creates our coverings to shield us from the enemies attacks. I’ve been thinking of it as a blanket…” thread” by “thread” (in the form of scripture, songs, prayers, encouragement, etc.) God is knitting together “blankets” to protect us.
Here are some of the “threads” God has been using to make my covering lately…
While the situation I am facing is not resolved, I choose to continue to seek God and to see His hand in this situation. True faith is reliance on God. I am making the CHOICE to act in accordance with this truth, despite the fact that I can’t yet see the outcome! In the meantime, I know that God has me. He has made that very clear in giving me peace beyond my understanding…Peace to the point that I am not worked up or worried. I am sad and wish I knew what the outcome will be, but what I do know is that GOD is in control. God has me covered. He is protecting me, and I am grateful to have the greatest protector I could ever ask for. He is my shield!
If you chose to focus on Him, He will be your shield too. I was reading on a website that said if you don’t cover your plants, they can get frost damaged…aren’t we the same? If we don’t CHOOSE to pray, to worship, to read God’s word, we can become “frost damaged” too. ..it just looks like discouragement, giving up, anger, jealousy, and so many different things on us. We sometimes ALLOW ourselves to become more susceptible to satan’s attacks. That same website said that this “frost damage” can be pruned back, but that if you don’t want to live with “brown, crispy plants”, you should cover them…the same is true of us. CHOOSE to let God cover you today! Lean into scripture, worship songs, or trusted family members/friends, or turn to God in prayer!
I hope that encouraged and helped you…but if not, here is the cutest picture of Maverick that makes me smile every time I see it…maybe it can be the first piece of your “blanket”…the cutest boy, with those big brown eyes, is cheering you on and is here to encourage you!…Thread #1 of your covering blanket, CHECK!
In the Stillness 