Pushing and Pulling God

 

Last evening I laughed as I watched a neighbor chase a deer from his garden. Clapping his hands, he ran into the woods after the doe. And I wondered if I ever chase God away from my garden.

 You see, deer, to me, represent God. Although I only see them periodically, I know they live in the woods surrounding my home. That’s how it is with God. I may not always SEE God’s Hand, but I know He’s there, surrounding me.

 So what about the deer that eats the leaves of my and my neighbor’s tomato plants? How does IT represent God? A good God would not allow something I hold dear to be taken from me. Or would He?

 When these hungry animals eat the tops of my plants (they don’t seem to bother the fruit), I will consider it a type of pruning. And pruning is good. It’s usually done in the springtime. And most plants flourish after being trimmed (not yet sure about my tomatoes).

 So I will consider that God may allow some of my favorite things to be taken—to help me grow.

 I recently was upset over a hair salon visit gone wrong. I cried. I worried my hair would never recover. I called my friend Kim and asked her to pray with me. She read to me a poem by Ruth Bell Graham that reminded me to trust God. And that’s what I plan to do. I’m growing.

 Even though my growth may at times be stunted, I PLAN to trust God on the good hair days and the bad hair days. The healthy days and the sick days. I’ll trust Him to use every downturn in life to draw me closer.

 As I look back over the years, I can see how God HAS drawn me closer even during times I felt He was far away and didn’t care. Every painful experience is but a tool in God’s Hand that He uses to build a sturdy foundation of faith.

 So do I ever chase God away? Well, I chase Him if I accuse Him of deserting me. I clap my hands and He runs if I give up on faith—stop going to church, stop reading my Bible, stop praying.

 But I invite God to draw close to me if I read an inspirational book, talk to another Christian (as I did on my bad hair day) or kneel at His feet. I invite God to stay if I just sit before Him and let Him wipe my tears. After all, God is compassionate. He walks with me whether or not I realize He is near.

 And like the deer will return to my neighbor’s yard, so God will draw closer to me. Or, I should say, I will draw closer to God. He’s never left my side.

 So I plant those tomatoes. I go about the business of living that will include good times and bad times. I trust God that those plants will grow and blossom and produce fruit. But if not . . . like Jeremiah wrote in Lamentations . . . I will trust God “even if the fig tree does not blossom” and the deer dine on my tomato plants. I know He holds my best interest close to His heart.

 
Please comment about a time you felt far from God but He actually drew you closer to His side.

           

           

Tear Down That Wall!

            We live in a hungry-deer zone. They munch everything from flowers to vegetables. Of course they have favorites—lilies, sedum and tomato plants among them. So when we saw the tips of our tomato plant munched off, my husband erected a barrier.

            He first put a heavy-wire support around the young plants and lined it with fine wire netting. When the deer continued to munch off the stalk tops, Bill put up four high posts and wrapped the entire plant with chicken wire. Even the top.

            Several weeks later we glimpsed the first show of yellow and knew it was time to start harvesting our sweet little grape tomatoes. The only thing was—I couldn’t. Bill had protected the plants so well, we couldn’t reach the tomatoes ourselves. The barriers had to come down, of course. Who knows if we or the deer will be eating tomatoes?

            That experience reminds me that sometimes, like my tomato plants, we have potential inside us, but we wrap our protection so tightly around us that our potential can’t get out.

            For instance, perhaps we’re asked to teach children in Sunday school. But we ponder: What if we have to get up earlier to ready our classroom? What if we can’t maintain discipline. What if . . . ? We protect our territory, ourselves, so tightly that our gift of teaching stays locked away.

            Perhaps we’re asked to offer a story of our faith at a small group gathering. But what if we blank out? What if the women don’t laugh at our jokes? What if . . .? Our perfectionism fences in a story that might be a real encouragement to others.

            Perhaps volunteers are needed to prepare communion elements. But what if it means gathering supplies and arriving at church earlier than usual? What if we spill grape juice on the white altar cloths? What if . . . ? Our worries fence in what might be a blessed way to serve.

            Pride, worries, perfectionism, past failures. Any one of them might prevent us from enjoying the blessings of God we might pass on to others.

            So how do we tear down our fences?

            Modify your expectations. You need not be perfect to perform a task. Who is? If that were a requirement, few, if any, would volunteer. Days in the classroom will not always look like a scene from a movie. Unless it’s a horror film.

            Fortify yourself for the task. Read God’s Word and let the Spirit speak to you, give you the confidence you need. With the God’s help, you and His Spirit can get the job done.

            Identify your gifts, talents and skills. Take a spiritual gift survey. Ask yourself, what do you enjoy doing? Are you a people person or do you prefer to work with your hands? Do you enjoy working with kids? Or adults? Ask people who know you what gifts they see in you.

            Edify others. Blessings are not meant to be hoarded. If God puts something to do on your heart, do it. Every now and then I send a note to missionaries telling them how much I appreciate their ministry. I hope my small act blesses their hearts. I know it blesses mine. Passing on blessings blesses the giver as much as the receiver.

 “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will all boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses so that Christ’s power may rest on me (2 Corinthians 12:8-9 NIV).

            Wrap Up: So tear down those fences, which are really “defenses.” Don’t consider opportunities as intrusions, something you must “defend” yourself against. Consider them opportunities to advance in your Christian walk. As Ronald Reagan said, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down that wall,” I say, “(insert your name), tear down that fence.”