+DEV+ In His Presence We Grow

Date: October 15, 2013 8:42 PM
Topic: +DEV+  In His Presence We Grow

In His Presence We Grow

"The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the LORD they will flourish in the courts of our God." (Psalm 92:12-13)

Scripture Focus: Psalm 92

I have a “brown” thumb, every plant life dies and turns brown. My wife is a plant rescuer. People bring troubled plants to her and ask her to bring them back to health. It's amazing to watch an orchid or African violet respond to a little attention. What's her secret? She cares about plants. Sometimes, when the owners return for their plants, they insist that the plant stay with my wife because "it's happier with you."

When we practice a spiritual discipline, it brings us closer to Jesus. It's not that we earn His favor by reading the Bible, praying or fasting, etc. These are simply factors that nourish us in our faith and in our life with Him. These are valuable steps, but He is the one who cares for us and creates the right conditions for us to grow. We naturally, or rather supernaturally, respond to being with Him.

Jesus invites us to abide with Him today, to bask in His grace. Spiritual disciplines help us enter His presence. As in the Psalm above, we grow "like a cedar of Lebanon" when we are with Him. And we never have to go back to our previous owner.

Insight: Spiritual growth requires discipline. But the discipline doesn't change us. It just brings us close to Jesus, and He changes us.




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