by Kala Loptien

Spiritual Growth

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“And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.”
Isaiah 58:11 English Standard Version 

Growth is a process. Currently, we (mostly my husband) have been working tirelessly to rehab parts of our front lawn. There’s one section in particular that seems stubborn. There could be a few culprits: too much shade from the nearby pine; too harsh of a winter; or maybe something deeper down beneath the surface. This week, however,  we’ve noticed some surprising improvements. It rained for almost five days, and now all the plants are happy.

We read about this simile in the Bible. Isaiah speaks about the Lord continuing to strengthen and satisfy, even when we’re feeling — perhaps especially when — weak and thirsty. I love the imagery at the end of this verse: you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. We see a similar analogy from Paul. He makes an important point about spiritual growth.

“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.”
1 Corinthians 3:6 English Standard Version 

God is at work, always in more ways than we could ever imagine. He has intentionally placed people in our lives to help with the planting and watering. Likewise, we the church and fellow Christians, are called to plant and water. He has those good works already mapped out for us. Through His Word, He ministers to us, giving daily bread for exactly what our hearts need. His spirit is always at work, helping us pray, drawing us near. Just like all the plants and crops, we need that constant nourishment. May we trust His process as He continues to transform us – heart, mind and soul.

Copyright Family of Christ Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado