DEBTS PAID

     June 18th of 2015 began the first day of Ramadan which holds profound meaning for the world's 1.5 billion Muslims. This sacred one month fast is actually for the same purpose Christians occasionally fast: the desire to know God in a deeper more intimate way.

Year after year, Muslim's and Christians realize their need for forgiveness and this Holy Month is a reminder to people of all faiths of our common humanity and commitment to justice, equality, and compassion.

I would like to take this opportunity to ask God's blessing on my Muslim brother's and sister's and as a Christian I would like to thank the ONE who paid my debt and set me free.

Lessons from Nature... GROWING PATIENCE IN LIFE'S GARDEN

Remember Veruca Salt, the spoiled rich kid in the movie
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory?  I hate to admit when it comes to having patience, I totally understand her.  She wanted everything life had to offer and she wanted it NOW, and if she didn't get her way ...look out.

We live in an "On Demand" world and want life to operate like the click of a remote button.  Truth be told, I allow this same attitude to spill over into my prayer life, and when I have to wait on God I can get anxious, impatient and discouraged. 

Unfortunately, God does not operate on Central, Pacific, or Eastern time zones so if you  are waiting for a prayer to be answered you might as well take a lesson from nature.

The amazing Chinese Bamboo plant starts from a tiny seed, just like most plants, but here is where the similarities end.  You water it, protect it, and care for it and nothing happens.  Nothing.  Not the first year.  Nothing the second or third year.  Nothing the forth year. 

But WAIT.  The fifth year the little seed begins to grow.  In fact, it grows 90 feet in just 6 weeks!!

Life often works in similar ways.  We can pray and work for years on a dream, a relationship, a job and nothing seems to get better.  Instead of having faith we start to second guess ourselves.  We might be tempted to dig up the seed and plant it somewhere else, wondering if all our nurturing is worth it.  We begin to think our hope will be realized in greener pastures.  HOLD ON! 

Realize you can trust God with your most heartfelt desires if you don't give up.

God promised Abraham and Sarah a child in their old age but they had to water their bamboo seed for 25 years before God answered their prayer. They waited long past the time where this miracle was biologically possible.  A young shepherd boy was anointed to become a king but David watered his bamboo plant 20 years before he finally sat on the throne of Israel.

  God loves us enough to want us to grow deep before we grow tall.  Like any good parent his main concern is what is growing within our heart so when our prayer is answered we are mature lacking nothing.  Patience is not easy to grow and cultivate but if you want God's best you will learn to wait patiently and keep watering your bamboo seed.

Scripture Reading: 

 Isaiah 40: 28-31
Psalms 25:  3-5