Many Seeds

"Very truly I tell you, 

unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground 

and dies, it remains a single seed. 

But if it dies, it produces many seeds." 

                                                      John 12:24

In my Bible journaling page today, I drew the wheat with the cross behind it, and the little sprouting wheat seed at the foot of the cross.  My intention was to create a visual reminder of the supreme sacrifice Jesus made for me; for us.  Jesus is the seed, the cross represents His death (the seed dies).  The sprouting seed at the foot of the cross represents the fruit resulting from the fallen seed's death, reaching deep into the ground, and opening to new life (resurrection) to produce many new seeds.  The stalk of wheat contains the many seeds (us).

In my study, I learned some interesting facts about wheat.  Two bushels of wheat seeds produce 40 to 50 bushels of yield!  One grain of wheat yields eight or more heads, with over 40 seeds per head.  That's 320 new seeds from just one seed!  Impressive. 

Jesus wants us, you and me, to die daily to our sinful nature, which will cause new life to spring up in us.  But, often, we want to cling to our old life, don't we?  That old life needs to be threshed and buried.  We cannot get life, and we cannot give life, without a little bit of dying.  Jesus gave up His very life in obedience to the Father.  But the last word, the Easter message, is not the suffering, but the resurrection!

When arrogance and pride dies, humility arises.
When selfishness dies, generosity of spirit arises.
When a judgemental and critical spirit dies, love and acceptance arise.

I want to bring honor and glory to God.  With God's grace, and the Holy Spirit's help, I can do that by my obedience to Him.  By dying to my way, daily, and going the way He leads. 

God bless!
 

This Path I Walk

"But He knows the way that I take;

when He has tested me,

I will come forth as gold."

                  Job 23:10 

This verse really opened up for me as I studied it for my Art Classes Bible journaling homework this week. 

There are countless nuggets of wisdom in this chapter, and even in this verse.  I have taken two pages of notes and a brainstorming page map from it.  

Here, I would like to share just one of the lessons I took away from this verse.  

God tests those whom He loves.  He knows every little detail of the path of our lives.  He is aware of our past, where we are now, and where our future path will lead us.  He knows the trials we have endured, and have yet to endure.  He uses those trials to strengthen and guide us; to purify us.   Just as gold is heated in fire to make it pure, we shall come out purified when our trial is over.
   
Job did not walk away from God.  He walked toward God, with an attitude of trust.

I pray, as I walk the path life has for me, that I never lose sight of God.  When the way is difficult, may I know that He is there, walking with me.  And when the trial is over, may my life bring glory and honor to God.  May I be changed profoundly, to be better equipped to be a witness to His grace and mercy.

The Bible journaling page resulting from my study...

Be blessed!

Be Still, God's Got This!

"The Lord will fight for you;

you need only to be still."

   Exodus 14:14

This verse appears around the middle of Exodus 14.  The Israelites were terrified at the approaching Egyptians, and crying out to the Lord.  They were complaining to Moses, who was leading them out of Egypt.  They would rather have stayed in bondage and service to the Egyptians than risk dying in the desert trying to escape.

But Moses told them not to be afraid, that the Lord would deliver them.  He told them that the Egyptians they see today they will never see again.  "The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still."

You know the rest, the parting of the sea so the Israelites could pass through, then the closing of the path through the sea so the advancing Egyptians were engulfed, and the Israelites were saved.  The Israelites did not have to fight.  They just needed to be still, to trust in the Lord to fight for them.

As I dug deeper into this story, I began to think about my personal 'Egyptians.'  What am I a slave to?  The areas in my life where I cry out to God and complain.  The fears, doubts, issues, and times when I am afraid to take the steps God is asking me to take, and so remain hopelessly in bondage.   

'Be still,' God says.  Still: unruffled, calm, not moving, deep silence, fixed, stable, at rest, untroubled, tranquil. 

He will fight for me, he says.  Fight:  battle, go to war, deliverance, put to right what is unjust.  

And my favorite promise from this study; "The Egyptians you see today you will never see again."  That tells me that when God fights for us, he breaks the chains that hold us bound, and leads us through our fears.  We need only to be still.

I purpose today to give God my battles and let him fight for me.  I will rest in his grace and take comfort in his love for me.  

I have created a Bible journaling page for this verse....

Thank you for your kind comments and encouragement.  I always enjoy hearing from you.  

Be blessed,