Christ My All
A friend I really admire recently shared the following medley of object lessons with me. I was very blessed by the beautiful imagery of Christ being involved in every single step of our spiritual growth and journey until the very end. I’d like to share it with you so that you may also be blessed!
The Farmer prepares the ground by cultivating the soil, and neatly preparing the rows to plant the seeds. After sowing, the Sower carefully tends the land and watches for the seedlings to break through the surface, reaching for sunlight. Diligently He weeds, waters, and watches as most sprouts grow. The wheat is now ready for harvest, so the Farmer heads out into the fields with a sharp sickle.
Our hearts are stony, and Christ works to give us a new heart. Planting His word in our hearts, He brings life and nurtures the seed as it’s growing, removing any evils that would dry our faith, or compete for the nutrients we need. At the end of the season, we are ready for the harvest.
Brought to the threshing floor, the wheat is pounded to remove the outer shell, and the chaff is blown off in the wind. The remaining kernels are brought to the mill where the millstone crushes and grinds the wheat into fine flour.
Asking for forgiveness, our sins are removed and cast away. But still, we are pressed on all sides, having to endure trials and temptations, until we are firm in our faith.
Now the Baker takes the flour, salt, yeast, water, oil, and brings the ingredients together. He takes the dough and kneads it, stretching the fibres, and working carefully. He allows the dough to rest a while, to relax a while, to rise a while, before entering the hot oven. Once in there, the bread’s crust turns golden; the inside, sweet and soft.
Jesus continues to shape us into His perfect people – a delicious and wholesome offering. It was worth the hard work – we are worth the hard work of the cross. And Jesus will delight to welcome us home.
This made me reflect on my spiritual journey. Christ has been involved in every single step from giving me a new heart to allowing trials to shape me into a stronger and wiser follower. There was a particular time during my spiritual walk that was extremely tough. It was a couple of years after I started attending church again. From my point of view, I had been very faithful after I fully recommitted myself to God. But, without warning, my heart was savaged by a major choice of someone I completely trusted. There was so much confusion because I somehow thought serving God meant protection from injustice and the consequence of other people’s sinful choices.
I was at one of the major crossroads of my faith. If this is what I get for being faithful to God, then I might as well go back to my old lifestyle. You can say I was really put through the millstone and was prepared in the extra hot oven of life. But praise God for a reminder through a scripture song that stuck with me through that time. It did so well to remind me of the One that is the Author and Finisher of my faith. The song comes from Jude 1:24-25.
“24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.”
Amen!
