My friend Vicki Jones took this nice picture of the plants I had on display at the retreat.
This past weekend the Ladies Spring Retreat at Camp Gilead in Carnation, WA gave me the opportunity to do a workshop on how to flourish in the daily time we spend with the Lord. Just four days prior to the retreat I purchased two beautifully thriving primroses that were as identical as I could possibly have found. One primrose was given everything it needed, like water and sunlight and perfect temperature. The other I sat in a dark room and gave absolutely no water. In just four days the neglected plant had turned into a pretty sad looking situation.
When we parallel the outcome of these two little plants with our own spiritual flourishing, or lack of it, I’m sure you can see the application. I presented to the ladies practical ideas about the mechanics of spending time with the Lord, and also, great resources to aid in adding depth and width to our study. However, my greatest emphasis focused on the importance of having a whole heart for God. Without this crucial heart attitude time spent reading the Word and praying can be just academic and ritualistic. Those two adjectives should never describe our interaction with the almighty God of the Universe! Neglect of time spent with God , as well as, a perfunctory attitude in the midst of such a time, both contribute to the wilting of our souls. In contrast, a wholehearted focus and devotion towards God and His Word results in great vigor of our souls.
In these days of Coronavirus and great changes in our social structure, vigor of soul becomes more and more essential. How are you doing during this Crisis? Are you drawing near to God with a whole heart? Is your soul more vigorous and alive than ever? May this be the case for all of us.
Psalm 119:2 “Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with their whole heart,..”
James 4:8 “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.”
Just four days after rejuvenating with water and light, the sad little plant above looks like this!
There will be no Ladies Bible Study until further notice.