Planted In Christ

                    Planted In Christ

“I planted you, a choice vine from the very best seed. How then could you turn into a degenerate foreign vine?” Jeremiah 2:21

These words were spoken to the children of Isreal by the Lord through the mouth of Jeremiah. 800 years after their exile of a time that God nurtured them, provided protection, and guided them through the wilderness they had forgotten all that. All the sudden the useless idols around them started to have an appeal they couldn’t deny. They followed useless idols and grew farther apart from the Lord only to become useless and worthless themselves. Because that is what sin does.

Sin does have appeal and it is fun at first. I remember as a young child being able to get away from things. My parents didn’t know and the more I did it the easier it got. I never realized that heart God placed in me was becoming a disobedient one. So as I grew farther apart from the Lord I wandered farther and farther from the Lord. And my little sin became so much bigger. There are years the Lord has blotted from my memories of times I couldn’t even look at myself in the mirror. The reflection I saw was shame, guilt, regret over and over. Telling the Lord, “This is the last time I promise.” only to end back in that same place and do it all over again. Just like those Israelites I had to acknowledge I needed rescuing. I had to realize my need for Jesus before I could begin to make that exchange for a new life in Christ. And thank God even while I was wandering His protective Hand was upon me watching over me. 

Here are some of the things I have learned about our sin. It doesn’t just hurt us it hurts others around us. And God sees it all. He saw it with His children back in Jeremiah and He sees it in us today. And what is His response? Come back to Me.

One of the greatest privileges of doing jail ministry was the ability to look those women in their eyes and tell them, “You haven’t gone too far that God will not take you back.” I remember seeing them in the uniforms all gathered for bible study and some looked young and some were old. And the message was always the same. God is still chasing after you. Repent and turn back to Him. 

Someone needs to hear that message today. Come back. You haven’t gone too far. The Father is waiting with open arms.

With God’s guidance we can flourish. The idea of planted is one that is this visual reminder of Jesus being the Branch and we are the vines. Anything apart from Jesus is useless. And I know what useless and dead feels like. I also know what thriving and flourishing feels like. Why would we choose dead and useless? 

God,

You are Grace and Mercy. You are Kindness and Patience. You love is steadfast when mine is futile. Our struggle to allow you control is a everyday moment kind of dependance. But your word tells us that is where victory is. Bring to our minds places we have set up altars before you. Forgive us Lord when we forget and begin to look within ourselves and not you. Jesus we are growing to become more like you and that is not easy. Remind us when the road gets tough to keep allowing you to lead Holy Spirit.

Amen