Blessingham Gardens, Norfolk, U.K.
John 15
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.
7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.
11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.
18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’
26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.
I've been watching the 53 Season UK "Gardener's World." Actually, I've seen the first program set in early March of the first season! Texas gardening is profoundly different and extremely the same. We have many of the same varieties of flowers. Ours just look like they inhabit earth, especially as August in Texas is about the time the leaves begin to give up and gently fall down. We don't have the tremendous fall color - usually - we have a gasp and drift away. Usually.
The UK reminds me of my brother calling me from Canada and showing me a text photo of a plant he has never seen before but wanted to plant in El Paso. Could I please send him the name? It was ....a... Rose. My brother replied, "Nooooooooo. Why don't we grow Roses like THIS!!!"
We have stress from water, stress from moisture suddenly creating illness, you name the condition, you have problematic smaller Roses in Texas. And yet, "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." It is what it is. We will grow Roses in Texas and enjoy them tremendously.
"Now is the winter of our discontent
Made glorious summer by this sun"
And yet, to see this amazing to me, absolutely stunning Winter Garden - is to both wonder what is possible to find, be dismayed remembering my many endeavors in the Nursery to find South African plants require Hawaii or Columbia and dismay. And the spark to try to plant the garden with zest and adventure. With remembrance, the many walks I've gone on and found inspiration with more creative gardeners than myself. With the desire to stick to what I know and have easier success. Being ruthlessly honest, the wondrous jaw-dropping thought to flee to enviable Garden Climates and try again.
How does all of these layered garden words forthrightly fit the Scripture? With various textures, blazing variables in color, winsome aromas and the path keeping our feet in God's Path.
We all have times in our lives when we are like the New Google Ads talking about new gifts, new talents, new skills, new adventures and plain despair asking us to pivot, watch the hips and shoot a new game. Frankly, when we look at a Garden and decide to have weak knees, limp hands and have envy and a tide of despair. Lack everything and receive nothing in abundance. Summing up this despair in technicolor is Dr. Seuss' the absolute Bingo, dead ringer, bull's eye, "Oh the Places You'll Go."
The truth is, no Garden stays the way the photo appears. And eventually, the truth is revealed.
Thank God, our Father in Jesus Christ, for the Truth. When we see the bare bones, we can understand the rhythms of trying again. Facing: 'Agains'.
If we call 2021, we hoped the year would be called, "Yay, Survival and Thrive!" Instead, this looks like, "We are tired and trying to survive with more anguish, problems and another round with new difficulties." We could shorten this to: "Oh, No, Not Again."
I will tell you what John 15 is to me. When I'm angry. Bleak. Frustrated. Upset. Feeling Alone, John 15 assures me when I don't see. When the night is too dark to say, "All I need is a tall ship and a star to steer her by." Because instead of optimism, I feel despondency.
Jesus is telling me, I'm part of His Vine. Jesus is assuring me, "You are Fruitful." Jesus is reminding me, we live to be the Way, Truth and Life for Him and for His Beloved. Jesus Christ is telling me I shepherd even when my flock is bleating. Jesus is reminding me, He seeks and holds, tenderly, the lost sheep who is apart from the flock. Jesus is encouraging me to lift my face to the Light of Christ in mankind and set my expectations up and put up my Hope. Jesus walks the distance that Day. Jesus is Giving Me the Day. Even when my day doesn't have surplus much of anything other than same ol thing. Jesus is saying when Give Us The Day requires us to believe in the five Loaves and 2 fish. Jesus tells the deaf man to walk with Him, even as the deaf man is focused on his own lack.
John 15 is a Garden.
The Garden of Hope we have been seeing in Scripture. We put in our seeds and ask Jesus to be the Light, the gentle supply of Living Water. The Bread of Nourishment. The process of forgiveness. We are required to remember the Joy of meeting Jesus in Church, in the school, in the lane, at any type of sea.
And if we are slain by the fierce wild beast of surprise, discomfort, self-doubt, unfair judgement. We rise again in Jesus as part of His Nourishing and Bloom in His Garden. Again. The Garden will find a way, in Jesus, even when Seasons change and return.
Isaiah 41:10
Fear not,
for I am with you;
be not dismayed,
for I am your God
I will strengthen you,
I will help you,
I will uphold you with
My Righteous Right Hand.
Isaiah 9:10
"The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with dressed stone;
the fig trees have been felled,
but we will replace them with cedars."
Sequoia
Philippians 1:18-22
Yes, and I will rejoice,
19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance,
20 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful work for me.
And give You Thanks for the many Years and Eternity where You will Continually Bless us.
Thank You, You Dwell in us.
Help us to always seek You first.
We want to end well.
Please Well Bless our Families
and Loved Ones.
Thank You, Father God for the amazing ways we have all witnessed Healing and answered prayer. Your Word upholds the Universe. Thank You.
We give You thanks for Your Word telling us You Delight
to bring Your Good Will and more of Heaven upon earth.
Amen in Jesus.
Abba, Father God,
I sing a song of the saints of God,
patient and brave and true,
who toiled and fought and lived and died
for the Lord they loved and knew.
And one was a doctor, and one was a queen,
and one was a shepherdess on the green:
they were all of them saints of God, and I mean,
God helping, to be one too.
They loved their Lord so dear, so dear,
and
God’s love made them strong;
and they followed the right,
for Jesus’ sake,
the whole of their good lives long.
And one was a soldier, and one was a priest,
and one was slain by a fierce wild beast
And there’s not any reason, no, not the least,
why I shouldn’t be one too.
They lived not only in ages past;
there are hundreds of thousands still;
the world is bright with the joyous saints
who love to do Jesus’ will.
You can meet them in school, or in lanes, or at sea,
in church, or in trains, or in shops, or at tea;
for the saints of God are just folk like me,
and I mean to be one too.
Our Alleluias
are in Jesus Christ.
Aaaaaaaamen.
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