-grow-

i stared into the branches of a tangled old tree, rooted in the mountainside above the ocean. and thoughts happened. 

We, as God's beloved children, are to grow in grace. We are to produce lasting fruit. But are we left to our own ways of producing fruit? By no means. He is our vine- the True Vine. We are new creations. He is to take over our lives and hearts, and remake us from the inside out.

How will we react to the seed scattered in our hearts? May we grow in the good soil. Secure plants, rooted deeply in our Savior, can withstand storms more than the little ones with no roots. Growth needs to occur. We can't sit here doing nothing- we need to ask for the Lord to prepare our hearts for the work He's given us to do (Eph. 2:10). God does not call us to growth in our own little compartment inside our own little comfort zone. This- this- is a growth that affects us in every way: it's transformational, not informational: God directed.

Grow in grace and knowledge. 
Grace- none of us can live up to His standards. Grace is love applied to others in the same manner Christ showed love to us.
We can't truly grow in  Jesus without basing our lives on His Word.

If we want to live a life in and for our Jesus... all must be laid on His altar. 
If we want to leave a legacy, we must build our all on His Word. 

It's understanding applied personally. We are called to be doers, not hearers only. I need to work on asking, "How is this going to make me a flourishing plant for His glory?"
And what plant doesn't need the Son?
The Son shines. 
The Spirit waters. 
The Word feeds. 

It's not just knowing Jesus... or knowing about Him... or even of Him. It's growing in Jesus...delighting with others in Him. It's absorbing, entrusting to others. It's that legacy I desire to leave, yet again.
We're all an individual growth plant. If His eye is truly watching the sparrow, how could I ever doubt?

Let me be a Sonflower for my Savior, soaking up the light of the world, growing in the Word. Lord, i give You my heart, i give You my soul, i live for You alone. 
for He is life itself.