Considering the lilies: Divisions and Unifying Fragrance

"Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the  grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You men of little faith!                                            (Luke 12:27-28 NASB)

The lily series has continued a little longer than I expected. I've found another nugget of truth, so we're here for one more day. At least. We began this series by considering the lily bulb,  lily propagation, and lily's disposition, and true lilies and the importance of the name. Yesterday, we considered the importance of planting the lily bulb deep in the ground.  Today, we look at the different varieties of lilies.

We learned a few days ago that not every flower bearing the name of lily is actually a lily. Water lilies and  day lilies are not true lilies. Of the true lilies, there are nine different varieties. (If you're interested in horticulture, you can find the varieties here.) 

Although all nine varieties are distinct and recognizable in their division, their similarities mark them as lilies. According to gardening.about.com, "What they all share is a certain elegance of form and sweetness of fragrance." (1)

Elegance of form and sweetness of fragrance are characteristics that should be the common thread running through the different "varieties" of Christians, as well.

Before we continue in the "fragrance" analogy, we need to remember one important fact. The first century church was one church, not multiple denominations. The differences were in location, not in theology. The Apostle Paul, among others, wrote letters that were circulated among the churches in an effort to preserve the doctrine and keep it consistent.

We won't be divided by denominations in heaven. No one is likely to care if we were Baptist or Presbyterian or Assembly of God when we enter eternity. The question that will matter then will be "Is Jesus your Lord?" 

With that said, we have divided ourselves into denominations based on interpretations of Scripture and nuances of doctrine. It is not my intent to argue doctrine. There are good points in every denomination, as well as arguable points. 

There is one Christ and He is the only point that matters.

Jesus is what should remain when divisional strife is swept away. If we follow Him, He should be the most important, unifying factor. He is to the Christian church what the genus Lilium is to the the varieties of lily.

Now, back to the question of fragrance. Lilies have a fragrance that is distinct and is unlike the fragrance of roses or hyacinths. It's distinct to lilies. 

In that same way, disciples of Christ should have "the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him". (2 Cor.2:14) 

 For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; to the one an aroma from death to death; to the other an aroma from life to life." (2 Corinthians 2:15-16 NASB)

Knowing Jesus should make such a difference in our lives that we are recognizable as belonging to Him. 

He should unify us with His fragrance. What is His fragrance? Get ready for this. It's not what you expect. It's sacrifice. 

The aroma of Christ is sacrificing Himself to the will of God.

Yeah. Who expected that? I considered the aroma of Christ to be love, fruits of the spirit. Anything but sacrifice. 

"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you, and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma." (Ephesians 5:2 NASB)

Jesus gave Himself up for us because of His love but it is the sacrifice of Himself, the offering of His life,  that is the fragrant aroma.

If we want the aroma of Christ, we must live sacrificial lives, just as Christ lived. We must sacrifice our desires to have God's desires for us. We must sacrifice our goals to attain His goals. Our priorities must become His.

When we sacrifice our will to His will, an amazing thing will happen. We will begin to sacrifice ourselves for those He loves. Sacrificial service. Sacrificial giving. Sacrificial love. It won't be about "us" anymore. Everything we do, everything we give, everything we sacrifice will be motivated by love. 

People will know. We won't have to say a word. Because sacrifice is rare. It's shocking. Sacrifice is scandalous. Give up ourselves for the less fortunate? Love those who have wounded us? Forgive those who have offended us? It's sacrifice that the world cannot understand. 

But Jesus does. Because He set the standard for shocking, scandalous sacrifice. He took it to the extreme when He presented Himself as a blood sacrifice on the cross. For me. For you.

There's no way I will ever be that sacrificial, but I can make a start. Have Your will in my life, Lord, is where it begins. So, we make a start. We begin today to make a small sacrifice of time, or money, or love, or will. Make a small, Jesus-like sacrifice and begin to live scandalously.

Begin to live like Christ and keep living like Him until you are so infused with His love and His sacrifice that everyone who meets you will say, "There's Jesus in her, in him." 

Be the aroma of Christ.

~~~~~~~

Our Father, who art in Heaven, holy is your name in all the earth. Our Lord Jesus, you are the sacrifice that makes our lives possible. Create in me a heart to live like you, sacrificing myself to your will, your way. In Jesus' name. Amen.

(1)http://gardening.about.com/od/bulbs/a/Growing_Lilies.htm
photo from freeimages.com

Considering the Lilies: Planting Deep

"Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the  grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You men of little faith!                                            (Luke 12:27-28 NASB)

In case you're just stopping in, we've been considering the lilies for the last few days. We began by considering the lily bulb,  lily propagation, and lily's disposition. Yesterday, we explored the question of true lilies and the importance of the name. Today, we're looking at the planting of lilies.

I don't recommend this, but I often use the "plant and wonder" technique. I stick a plant or bulb in the ground and wonder what it will do. The reason I have to wonder is because I haven't bothered to find out what kind of environment the plant needs. Does it need sun or shade, moist soil or well-drained? Does it want to be planted deep or shallow? I killed more than a few plants before I realized a sun-loving plant would not perform as expected if I tried to make it survive in the shade.

Lily bulbs have specific depth requirements in order to grow and produce the beautiful blooms we desire. Lily bulbs must be planted deep in the ground. The recommended depth is three times the diameter of the bulb. (1) At depth, the bulb remains cool and is well-protected. The bulb thrives there. In fact, the roots are contractile and will pull the bulb to the proper depth if planted too shallow.

Shallow is easy, but depth brings growth.

It's true for lilies, but it's also true for disciples of Christ. If I am to follow Jesus, I will follow best if I know Him well.  I will explore His depths. Allow Him to take me deeper in the Word of God, and in obedience, than I planted myself.

Can you truly follow Jesus and be shallow about it? I wonder.

Attending services, saying a blessing before meals, and posting Scripture memes on social media do not indicate depth (although prayers and assembling with other believers are actions Jesus expects of us and are not optional). If attendance and rote prayers before meals are all we have, however, it's a shallow kind of faith.

A deep faith says, "Lead me anywhere and I'll follow."

A deep faith loves every single person God loves, which is EVERYONE.

A deep faith serves anyone Christ calls us to serve.

A deep faith bears anything for Jesus.

A deep faith studies the word of God, allowing Him to plant it in us. To plant it deep in us (that's where memorizing comes in) so that we have it when we need it. 

A deep faith bears fruit.

  Here's a secret it took me entirely too many years to learn. A deep faith is exciting and fun and so intimate it's unbelievable.

When that Still Small Voice whispers, it's the most amazing thing in the world.

We don't start deep, but that's where the good stuff grows. If we want to know as much as possible of this big God we serve, we must plant ourselves deep, too. How? Spend time in prayer, listening and talking, studying Scripture and obey it. All of it.

The amazing thing about the Christian life is that, if we want to be deep in our faith, the Holy Spirit will act much like the contractile root of the lily, drawing us deeper. If we ask for deep faith, God will supply it. If we ask for a deep knowledge of Him, He'll supply that, too. 

So ask. Ask for deep faith. Deep knowledge of God. Deep knowledge of Scripture. Ask, then do what it takes to have it. Open your Bible. Obey.

You'll love it in the deep. That's where all the wonders hide. All the gems and treasures.

Deep calls to deep.

Let the depths of God call you to the deep.

~~~~~~~

Our Father, I don't want superficial. I want to know Your depths, to follow where You lead, to have all of You that You want me to have. To know You more. So teach me Your ways, lead me in Your paths. Make me like You. In Jesus' precious name, Amen.

(1) http://gardening.about.com/od/bulbs/a/Growing_Lilies.htm
photo from freeimages.com
chart from blog.gardenheights.com

Considering the Lilies: The importance of the name

True Lily

"Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the  grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You men of little faith!                                            (Luke 12:27-28 NASB)

In case you're just stopping in, we've been considering the lilies for the last few days. We began by considering the lily bulb, and  lily propagation. Yesterday, we considered the lily's disposition. Today, we turn to the topic of true lilies.

I've learned a surprising fact about the lilies in my garden. They aren't lilies. I've called them lilies for years. The landscaper who sold them to me called them lilies, but they are simply not lilies, no matter what we've called them. As it turns out, only plants in the genus Lilium are lilies. True lilies grow from the bulb we considered earlier, with overlapping scales. Leaves grow around the stem in a spiral pattern and the flowers always have six petals and six anthers. (1) 

Daylily

Daylilies, on the other hand, grow from a tuberous bulb with leaves growing in a clump at the base of the stem. Instead of six petals, the daylily flowers have three petals and three sepals. 

One of the most striking differences between lilies and daylilies is that the true lily bloom persists for a week or so but the daylily bloom only lasts a single day.

Not every flower that bears the name lily is one. In that same way, not everyone who bears the name Christian is one. In our culture, the person who attends a Christian-oriented church is called a Christian. The person who was reared in a "Christian home" is called a Christian. This is done in much the same way that a person reared in Mississippi might call themselves a Mississippian. Sometimes a person who has conservative values is called Christian.

Dictionary.com reflects our changed culture. Christian is first defined as "derived from Jesus Christ". The fourth definition is "exhibiting a spirit proper to a follower of Jesus Christ", but the remainder of the definition includes "decent, respectable" and "human, not brutal, humane". It's no wonder we're confused.

Acts 11:26 tells us that the followers of Jesus were first called Christians at Antioch. It was a name given them by the Gentiles, and it was used for people who lived their lives according to Christ's teachings. They were strict adherents of The Way, people willing to die for their faith. 

These first "Christians" were people who persisted in their faith despite persecution and tremendous opposition. There was nothing casual about their faith. They were not occasional attenders or merely adopting the faith of their parents. They had staked their lives on their belief in Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God.

When Jesus called people to be disciples, He told them "Follow Me." That's what disciples do. Follow their master. If we are true Christians, we are followers of Christ. We study His words and obey them. We persist in faith even in the face of opposition. We press on even when it's hard.

Disciples don't pick and choose which part of Jesus' teaching fits our thinking. If I am a Christian, I adapt my life to fit His teaching. He is my standard.

It's a matter of relationship. We serve a living Savior, a risen Lord. He is with us, by His Holy Spirit, every day, every moment. Our job is to please Him with our words, our actions, our thoughts. Are we perfect? Certainly not, but our goal is to constantly become more like Him. 

Being a Christian is not simply being decent and respectable. It's not about making moral choices. It's about laying down our lives and following Jesus every day for the rest of our lives. 

For today, let's pause to consider our own perspective on life. Am I a church-attender or a Christ-follower? Am I a moral person or one transformed by the Blood of the Lamb? 

Am I simply a decent, respectable person or am I a follower of Jesus? 

There is a difference and it makes all the difference. In this world and the next.

~~~~~~~

Our Father, who lives and reigns in Heaven, holy is your name. Show me my heart as you see it and reveal my motivations and priorities. I choose to follow Jesus. Help me to relinquish my life to you. Help me to live for you and not merely to please myself. In Jesus' name, Amen.

(1)http://gardening.about.com/od/perennials/qt/Lilies-versus-Daylilies.htm
images courtesy of freeimages.com 
http://www.freeimages.com/photo/pink-stargazer-lily-1199018
http://www.freeimages.com/photo/wild-daylily-1369652

Considering the Lily: Disposition

"Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the  grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You men of little faith!                                            (Luke 12:27-28 NASB)

In case you're just stopping in, we've been considering the lilies for the last few days. We began by considering the lily bulb. Yesterday, we considered lily propagation. Today, we're considering the lily's disposition. 

I learned an interesting fact as I was considering lilies. One of the reasons gardeners like to plant lilies is their reliable disposition. Lilies are simple plants. You nestle the bulb in the ground at the appropriate depth, provide water, good drainage, and protection from winter weather (by mulching). The lily responds by providing showy, fragrant blossoms every year and propagating itself. If you take care of the lily, you can rely on the lily to do what it was created to do. Flower and propagate. 

We serve a yesterday, today, and forever, same-all-the-time God. We can count on Him to be the same because He is reliable. It's His nature and it's supposed to be our nature as believers, too. 

Having a reliable disposition is more than doing what we've said or not doing what we said we wouldn't. Having a reliable disposition also includes having a consistent disposition. People know what to expect from us because we are the same, not swinging from one disposition to another. We're consistent, hopefully consistently kind.

Our goal with this reliable disposition business is not so much being consistent with our own dispositions. Our goal is supposed to be consistency with God's disposition. When the world looks at people who call themselves Christians, they expect to see people who act like Jesus. 

In case you've forgotten, when He walked the earth, He was funny, and friendly, and loved sinners. People were drawn to Him. He spoke truth but He did it in a nice way. (Except with the Pharisees, who were the church leaders. They were supposed to know better and He was uber-blunt with them.) Jesus was even kind to His worst enemies, the Pharisees. He shared meals with Pharisees and He died for them. Even though they voted to kill Him. Even though they tried to totally annihilate Him.

I'm not that nice.

I'm not that kind.

I'm supposed to be, though. 

When the world looks at me, they should see a walking, talking, smiling picture of Jesus. If I have a reliable Jesus-disposition, they should always see a walking, talking picture of Jesus. But they don't. I fail. On the days when I totally blow it, I repent and try again, and I'm grateful for the consistently reliable mercy and grace of our Lord that says, "Forgiven. Removed as far as the east is from the west. Do better next time."

I want that reliable, consistent mercy and grace for myself. For my failures. I want others to see it in me, to experience it in me.

Maybe you know something about this struggle for consistency, too. One day, we'll be like Jesus. All the time. Until then, we repent, rely on the lavish mercy and grace of our God, and try again. As we do, let's be as lavish with mercy and grace towards others as our Lord has been with us.

~~~~~~~

Our Father, forgive my failure, my inability to act like Jesus consistently. Cleanse me and help me to be more like Christ today than I've ever been before. Thank you for your mercy and grace. In Jesus name, Amen.

Considering the Lily: Propagation

"Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the  grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You men of little faith!                                            (Luke 12:27-28 NASB)

Jesus instructed his disciples to "consider the lilies". Yesterday we began our consideration of lilies with a look at the roots of lilies. Today, we look at lily propagation. According to lilies.org, if lilies are giving routine care, (adequate water in a bed with adequate drainage, protection from freezing, mulch in the winter, and a little fertilizer from time to time), "they will divide regularly." Lilies don't have to be forced to reproduce. They do it naturally. 

Stem bulblets form naturally every year around the underground portion of the stem. These little bulblets can be removed, along with their roots, and planted to grow additional lilies. It is the natural function of a lily to reproduce in this way. While the bulblet is forming, it remains connected to the stem until it has developed enough of a root system to survive as a separate plant. Once the bulblet is removed, planted, and established in its new location, it will not only flower but begin to bear bulblets.

In that same way, the job of disciples is to train other disciples. We should be nurturing a disciple or two as we go along. As those disciples mature, they should begin to train other disciples. Done correctly, the body of Christ will be constantly reproducing itself, constantly training, constantly growing and developing stronger roots. If we reproduce as we should, new believers will become disciples, develop strong roots, and grow to maturity. Because of the strong roots developed while being nurtured, young believers will have less risk of withering and falling away.  

Let's consider the reproduction of lilies and compare it to our own lives. Are we faithfully growing disciples? Are we reproducing in such a way that the body of Christ grows and becomes stronger? The last instruction Jesus gave was to make disciples and that's what we need to be doing. 

~~~~~~~

Our Father, give us strong roots that we might grow and bear fruit for you. Help us to not only be disciples but also become disciple makers, helping others grow to be more like You. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Considering the lily and it's bulb

freeimages.com # 1199018

"Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the  grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You men of little faith!                                            (Luke 12:27-28 NASB)

"Consider the lilies," Jesus told his disciples. Today, we do exactly that.

My grandmother had lilies in her yard and I've always loved them. They are relatively trouble-free, low-maintenance flowers that grow from bulbs. The bulb requires more depth than most seeds so that roots can be formed to support the tall plant. Lilies forms basal roots at the base of the bulb, as well as adventitious roots above the bulb near the surface of the soil. Both are essential to anchor the plant. The longer the plant lives, the more adventitious roots will form.

The bulb doesn't look like much, does it? From this small bulb, a large and very beautiful, showy flower can grow. Without the roots, however, the flower will be of little value because the stem will be unable to get the nutrients needed to produce the flower. Without roots, the stem cannot stand upright. Once the stem begins to grow out of the bulb, the adventitious roots will form to help anchor the plant. Every root is essential. 

In our lives, that same principle holds true. Without Christ, we can do nothing of significance. When our lives are grounded and rooted in Him and His word, however, we can grow to be all He intended us to become. Bible study and Scripture memory are not optional if we are to become strong and fruitful. 

Lily roots have another interesting characteristic. They are contractile. The roots of the lily pull the bulb down to the appropriate depth for it to grow and bear flowers. We, too, need to have contractile roots that pull us to the appropriate depth of faith in Christ so that we can follow in the manner He intended. 

Roots are the first sign of life for a lily, and the most important. It's the same for the new believer. We must be intentional about forming roots by studying and learning what God expects of us as followers. But are we? Today, let's pause to examine the roots of our relationship with Christ. Are they shallow and superficial so that we fall easily when trouble comes? Do we have deep roots that sustain our lives no matter what happens? Are we forming more roots as time goes by or relying on the roots that have already formed?

Let's be intentional about root formation by studying our Bible, memorizing Scripture, spending time in prayer and meditation on the Scripture we have studied. Only when we have the roots we need can we become the plant God intended.

~~~~~~~

Our Father, thank you for your perfect design of bulb and root and flower. Help me to do what is needed to grow roots to anchor me in my faith so I can become what you intended me to be. In Jesus' name, Amen.

The anger behind fretting

And He said to His disciples, "For this reason I say to you, do not worry about your life, as to what you will eat; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds! And which of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life's span? If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why do you worry about other matters? (Luke 12:22-26 NASB)

The previous post considered the ravens and the care God provides for them, as well as the importance of not fretting. Today, we look at fretting in more depth. We may find that this concept is a little different than we thought.

The word used in Psalm 37:1 "Do not fret" is charah and is used to mean to fret or be angry. It implies the heat of melted wax, that burns and sticks, continuing to burn even without flame. Dictionary.com defines the verb "fret" as "to feel or express worry, annoyance, discontent; to cause corrosion, gnaw into something; to make a way by gnawing, corrosion, wearing away." 

"Fret" is a word that's used so commonly it has begun to lose its meaning, at least for me. I may call it fretting, but it is actually annoyance with God because He has not provided what I expected to receive or because He has allowed uncertainty when what I wanted is the assurance that circumstances will go my way. Ouch. That doesn't sound like a faithful servant of God, does it?

When I entertain worry, or fretting, it gnaws and wears away at me. Fretting, or worrying, is a form of annoyance and discontent that causes corrosion. It erodes our peace, our contentment, our joy. When we look at the consequences of worry and fretting, they aren't as attractive, are they?

In these verses, Jesus told His disciples, (Leanna Paraphrase) "You can't add a single hour to your life, so why worry? Trust the One who holds every hour of your life in His hands." He was right. I'd like to think I can change something by my worry and fret. 

The hard truth is that I don't change my circumstances with worry and fretting at all. I only change me. I erode my peace and joy, but don't impact the problem I'm worrying about in any way whatsoever. (unless to make things worse by worry) Why worry, then? It's pointless, especially when the One who holds the world in His capable hands is also holding my life there, as well. 

Paul's instructions to the church at Philippi are words we would do well to heed.

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7 NASB)

~~~~~~~

Our Father, forgive me for my worry, anger, discontent. Help me to put my trust in You and leave it there. My life is in you hands. Do with it as you see fit. Thank you for handling that which I cannot handle myself.  In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Stop Worrying and Start Trusting

And He said to His disciples, "For this reason I say to you, do not worry about your life, as to what you will eat; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds! And which of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life's span? If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why do you worry about other matters? (Luke 12:22-26 NASB)

When my son Ryan was little, he attended a Christian school. One day, he told me they had studied Psalm 37. 
"Hey, Mom, do you know why it says 'Do not fret' three times?" he asked me. 
"No, Ryan, why is that?" 
"It's because God really means it. DO NOT FRET!"

Ryan was right. 

Over and over in Scripture, God tells us not to worry, not to fret. He can handle this experience we call life. In this passage, Jesus tells us again, "Do not worry about your life." 

Don't worry about anything. Not what you will eat, or what you will wear, or about your health. 

God can handle whatever comes our way.

"Consider the ravens," He told His disciples. I usually just brush past those words, but today I decided to consider. Ravens, it turns out, can survive just about anywhere, because they aren't picky about their habitat or their food. They are very intelligent birds and can be taught to speak some words. They can work together with other ravens to capture food. 

One of the facts about ravens that surprised me is that they're acrobatic and playful. According to allaboutbirds.org, young ravens will play with sticks while they fly, dropping them from the sky, then diving to catch them. 

These birds fly around, enjoying life as they go. They never worry about what they'll eat because they can always find something that will do. They aren't attractive birds, but that doesn't stop them from enjoying life. Their sound is more a croak than a song, but that doesn't stop God from caring for them.

God feeds them. 

God provides for them. 

You will never see a raven die of starvation. You will not see a raven discouraged or unhappy about its circumstances. They take what comes and fly on. Sometimes, they fly upside down, just for fun.

How amazing is that? 

Ravens are content, happy, having fun because they know something we struggle to understand. God can handle the life of a raven. It's no big deal. 

If God can handle raven-life, He can handle human-life, too. He can handle my life. And yours. He's got this life of ours and it's no big deal for Him. 

"How much more valuable you are than the birds!" That's what Jesus told His disciples and it's what He would have us hear, too. We are more valuable than the birds. He knows every bird. He feeds every bird. 

There is great news for those of us who are living in uncertain circumstances. He knows us. We are valuable to Him. We don't have to fret or worry. He means it. Quit worrying. Trust Him. 

Not fretting is part of being a disciple of Jesus. Let's get this straight before we go any further. If we are following Jesus, we should not be worrying. He can handle whatever comes our way. He knows our needs. He will provide. It may not be the provision we expect, but He will provide.

If we can trust Him to save our soul, we can trust Him to provide for our needs. We can put our faith in Him for whatever we face.

Stop worrying. Quit rehearsing the problems. If there is something you should do to fix your problem, do it. If there's not, turn to the One who can handle it all. 

Give it to Him. 
Leave it with Him. 
Trust Him.  

~~~~~~~

Our Father, Hallowed be your name. We give our needs to you and trust you to care for us with the same generosity you show the birds of the air. Give us this day our daily bread. Fill us with your Spirit. Nothing more. Nothing less. In Jesus' name. Amen.