“My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.”
Song of Solomon 2:10-13
The laws of nature are firm. After every winter, comes spring, comes summer, comes autumn and comes winter again. This cycle never fails. Winter does not struggle to become spring. Spring does not struggle to become summer. Summer does not struggle to become autumn and autumn does not struggle to become winter again.
The laws of nature are firm. After every winter, comes spring, comes summer, comes autumn and comes winter again. This cycle never fails. Winter does not struggle to become spring. Spring does not struggle to become summer. Summer does not struggle to become autumn and autumn does not struggle to become winter again.
"While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease."
Genesis 8:22
“For after winter comes summer. After night comes the dawn. And after every storm, there comes clear, open skies.”
Rutherford
Leaves and flowers are nourished by the living sap within. They do not cause it to rise or regulate its flow. They don’t struggle to produce it. They do not understand it, but as it flows through them, it revives them, renews them.
We, too, ultimately know that we must depend on something that is not of ourselves to keep us fresh and green. Sometimes we can’t even pray, don’t even know what to pray, but this renewing life continues to flow within. There are times when all that is asked of us is just what is asked of the leaves and flowers - just remain in the plant.
Leaves and flowers are nourished by the living sap within. They do not cause it to rise or regulate its flow. They don’t struggle to produce it. They do not understand it, but as it flows through them, it revives them, renews them.
We, too, ultimately know that we must depend on something that is not of ourselves to keep us fresh and green. Sometimes we can’t even pray, don’t even know what to pray, but this renewing life continues to flow within. There are times when all that is asked of us is just what is asked of the leaves and flowers - just remain in the plant.
"Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."
John 15:4, 5 (NIV)
"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love…”
John 15:9
We are simply asked to remain; to stay within the realms of His love.
We are simply asked to remain; to stay within the realms of His love.
"Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.”
Come away with Him, remain in Him, in His love. Even if we are completely silent, asking nothing, only letting our hearts rest in quietness in Him, He will cause the renewing life-sap to rise. As long as we remain in Him.
Come away with Him, remain in Him, in His love. Even if we are completely silent, asking nothing, only letting our hearts rest in quietness in Him, He will cause the renewing life-sap to rise. As long as we remain in Him.
Yet, knowing this truth, we still struggle, we work, we labor, we try, try some more,
and then try again.
We think, if we just do this, we will feel the presence of God. If we just do that, we can be assured of His love. If we do this, we will have revival. If we do that, we will be renewed.
Have you ever seen a tree struggle?
Have you ever seen a plant sweat to bring forth the fruit?
Seasons comes and seasons go, yet the word of the Lord endures forever.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.
He dwells within us.
The Holy Spirit is like that life-giving sap that nourishes the trees.
The sap is and it flows.
God is and He flows within us and through us, as we stop the struggle and just let Him be.
"...but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you."
John 14:17
At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you."
John 14:20
"...but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you."
John 14:17
At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you."
John 14:20
"That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love..."
Ephesians 3:17
"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty."
Psalm 91:1
"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty."
Psalm 91:1
Our only work, as it were, is to remain in Him.
Cease from our own works.
Abide in the vine.
Remain in Him.
Remain in Him.
Let Him dwell in our hearts by faith.
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