But apparently this bush needed to be "trimmed," as it's hefty roots are supposedly starting to interfere with our house's foundation. (Do you sense that I'm a bit dubious?)
And so, this is what our "pruned" bush looks like today--
For the record, this stinks. Seriously.
I look at our camellia and want to weep. The bush is literally one fourth of it's lovely, towering size just a few weeks ago. Gone are it's profusion of shiny green leaves...in fact, there are no leaves at all. And no more comfortable shade under which Bingley enjoyed taking sweet summer naps. And absolutely no possible prospect of any bright red flowers anytime soon...or as best I can tell, ever.
Frankly, as I'm gazing forlornly at my beloved camellia, it appears completely hopeless. This lovely bush will never recover, I'm quite sure. Forget it. Lost cause. No way, no how. Will never, ever happen.
Or at least that's what my senses shout to me.
But I'm just wondering if what's appears differs dramatically from what's actually happening? If what I feel doesn't at all reflect what's really true? If the tiny, limited slice of what I can see has no correlation with what the Lord is doing and knowing and seeing?
Somehow, someway, I have the tiniest glimmer of hope hidden deep in my heart that our Almighty God is working and moving and growing and redeeming in countless ways that I cannot see and do not know. And maybe, just maybe, that's exactly what He's doing not just with our camellia bush but with all the hard, dark, scary, bewildering things going on in the lives of countless dear friends.
Well, my fallible, ever- vacillating feelings might exclaim "maybe" but my faith says "definitely!" I have dear friends dealing with cancer...and heart surgery...and lost jobs...and death of loved ones...and despair. But we can know, know, know that the sovereign Lord of Heaven and Earth is at work and is doing mighty and wondrous things we cannot begin to imagine. "I will lead the blind by a way they do not know, In paths they do not know I will guide them I will make darkness into light before them And rugged places into plains These are the things I will do, And I will not leave them undone." (Isa.42:16)
And in those dark, difficult, discouraging places, He's moulding, equipping, reviving, restoring, redeeming, and teaching. As Isaiah 45:3 reminds us, many of God's choicest lessons are revealed only in the darkness. "I will give you the treasures of darkness and the hoards in secret places, that you may know that it is I, the LORD, the God of Israel, who call you by your name."
So today, Lord, we join the psalmist in declaring "I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in Him." (Ps.40:1-3)
Yes, Lord, yes--do it again and again! And while we wait, we will trust in You. Our lives may look like a bunch of bare, brown sticks, but we're waiting and trusting in You, our omnipotent God of Resurrection and Redemption who is even now making all, all, all things new.
To God be the glory.
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