7-9-14 - Rocks and Sun

Rocks and sun are a perfect combo for lizards.
For plants? Not so much…

We’ve probably all encountered the fervor of the newly converted – people hot on a new thing they’ve learned or experienced. A new love, a new job, maybe a new diet; I couldn’t shut up about Weight Watchers when I found it working for me. We may even have met a few born again Christians in the first throes of excitement about the love of God they’ve come to know in Christ.

Sometimes it lasts, sometimes it doesn’t. It depends on the depth of soil that allows roots to grow.

“Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away.”

What conditions make for rocky soil? Sometimes familiarity can make for complacency – same old, same old… that’s a kind of rockiness. Preoccupation with other concerns can keep us from growing spiritual roots.

What is the hot sun that causes the newly rooted plants to wither? Fear, ambition, sorrow, overwork, stress – some of the same enemies we named yesterday.
What are yours?

I remember once being deep in prayer on a retreat (hmm… been a really long time since I’ve been on retreat, speaking of letting roots become exposed…). In the prayer time, I sensed Jesus say to me, “I want you to come be with me every morning, to water your roots.” That’s partly why I named this Water Daily (though, yes, I do have some plants I can only water once a week…)

Are you feeling robust or withered as a spiritual person today? Might you walk that path with Jesus in your imagination and let him show you where you are today – on the path, on the rocks, in the deep soil? What does he suggest you do?

And what are we to do for those whom we see withering spiritually – including ourselves at times?

Help transplant them into deeper soil, provide shade in the form of spiritual friendship - and sprinkle liberally with the Living Water gushing inside you, the Holy Spirit who renews all things in Christ.