I’m a little late posting this morning. I took Dave, my friend from Arizona who spent the weekend with us, to the airport. I had him there at 6:15. Turns out that was plenty of time. He received word he was upgraded to First Class which was great. Then he got word that the plane would not start. In my book…not so great. I might even lobby for another plane. It was cold here this morning. 25 degrees and frost. Let’s hope it just needed thawed out. Still…
Okay now to today’s devotion: We live in an instant society. Instant potatoes (are they really?). Microwave pizza (I prefer the real kind thank you very much). Instant oatmeal (sure beats waiting and stirring). Instant coffee (people tell me that its nasty. I wouldn’t know since I don’t drink coffee of any kind of any taste at any time). Instant milk (seriously mom? You thought I wouldn’t notice?) We even have 10 minute oil changes (when I used to do my own it took me that long to assemble all the necessities). Anyway, you get my point.
Because we live in an instant society, it has tragically carried over into the church. Instant church growth (people miraculously appear if you follow this formula). Instant disciple (You mean I have to study?). And we, of course, want an instant trouble-free life. The late David Powlison wrote the following:
I’ll often say to someone ‘The Vinedresser uses pruning sheers, not a chainsaw. He’s not going to work on everything all at once. He’s not going to teach you everything about Himself. but something about who He is and what He says to you can make a decisive difference in some challenge you are facing right now.’ (Oct.14-p.288-“Take Heart”)
Do you see that first sentence? “He uses pruning sheers, not a chainsaw.” Little by little God is going to work on His follower. The chainsaw just pictures to me a “hack job,” a quick devastation. But He uses pruning sheers-a slow, precise process-to shape us the way He wants.
Don’t rush your growth. Allow God to do things nice and easy, at His pace. Allow His careful pruning to happen.
