Cutting away the good….
Colorado had unquenchable fires then uncontrollable floods.
In New Jersey, the reverse.
The flood from last year’s record-breaking “super storm” “perfect storm” Sandy left the Jersey shore, particularly the Seaside areas, reeling.
Then this week, a destructive fire on the Seaside boardwalk, newly restored after the devastating flood, caused the loss of 68 businesses and close to $2 million in damage.
 |
I’m no expert in firefighting, but news reports of both the Colorado and New Jersey fires reported a similar strategy. In Colorado, intentional boundary fires were set to control the path of the blaze and limit the destruction.
In New Jersey, a section of the boardwalk was cut out creating a gap to contain the fire and prevent it from spreading:
In normal circumstances, setting a fire or cutting the boardwalk would be criminal. But in these situations, the experts knew it was necessary to destroy something good in order to prevent further widespread destruction.
Jesus had something to say about cutting away something good for the better.
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” John 15:1-2
Did you catch that? Every branch that DOES bear fruit, He prunes. Why? So that it can be even more fruitful.
Hanging in my office, I have what once was a lovely lush philodendren that is now stringy and sparse. My neglect allowed it to grow longer and longer. Had I trimmed it, it’d be much fuller. So recently I lopped off some perfectly good branches to stimulate new growth.
In my garden, I have to cut away seemingly perfectly good branches because they become “suckers.” If left to grow, they will draw precious fruit or flower-bearing energy away from the rest of the plant.
Now if the boardwalk planks could talk, I’m sure they’d be screaming when the firefighters took their axes to them. The Colorado boundary trees might argue that the fire is over there, don’t torch us! Or my plants would weep when I approached with my scissors.
In life, sometimes we have to choose to eliminate some seemingly perfect activities or opportunities. And sometimes, God the Gardner removes them for us. Why? Because He loves us. Because He doesn’t neglect us. Because He knows what’s best for us.
When such situations occur, we must remember that despite the pain of loss, it’s for our own protection or fruitfulness. We can trust the Master Gardener to prune at the right time, using the right tools, removing the right branches, for the right purpose.
Have you been pruned? How can I pray for you, beloved?
www.susanpanzica.com
What a perfect analogy! It’s horrible to see the devastation that these fires are creating. The process of getting the fires under control is interesting. Sometimes I find it painful when the Lord cuts aways some things in my life. And yet I know it’s for my good and His glory. I want to abide in the Vine and bear fruit.
Blessings and love,
Debbie
Awesome post.
Thank u Susan. I’ve recently been reading some of your postings on FB and have truly been blessed by your words and videos. My dad is dying and it’s been very hard for me and my sister. . I know none if us can escape dying, and to us who have hope in Christ it is but a new beginning. But its never easy to see someone else u love through it. God bless u for what u give to others.
I agree that God needs to prune some things in our life; I just wish it would not hurt so much.
Thank you for the reminder that God has the best in mind for us.