Pruning

Anybody here into forestry and chainsaws-- manly work? I went from using a big Stihl chainsaw with a 28" bar on my dock-building business to a little Echo climber's saw with a 14" bar. It was light enough to use with one hand, and cut great! Vroom-Vroom! But on the downside, there were fewer teeth to do the work, so I was constantly sharpening it. But for what I was doing, it was just right.

I like watching the tree service guys work. Especially the climbers, with their harnesses, ropes, and daring-do. They motivate me. But sometimes things go wrong and bad things happen. Trees fall where they were not intended, gear gets caught in the shredder, and experienced people still get hurt. You definitely want to keep clear!

God showed me something interesting yesterday. I was in my car and stuck behind a large Tree Service truck. The truck was parked, and completely blocking the road ahead. A large tree limb (think Live Oak) was sticking out beyond the truck. I could hear the chainsaws running and see the big limb shaking, but I couldn't see the workers. I wasn't allowed out of my car to watch the action. Authorized Personnel Only!

They were pruning. It was giant scale, but it was still pruning. Sometimes God has to do that in our lives. Jesus talks about pruning in John 15:

"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. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."

Sometimes, this pruning involves removing things (or people!) from our lives. Other times, pruning looks a lot like waiting.

He makes us wait.

He keeps us on purpose in the dark.

He makes us walk when we want to run,

sit still when we want to walk,

for He has things to do in our souls

that we are not interested in."

-- Elisabeth Elliot, Secure in the Everlasting Arms

I HATE waiting! Hate it hate it hate it hate it...

But sometimes... we are waiting not just because God is dealing with us, but because God plans to pair us with someone or something else for his purposes and THEY are not ready yet!

Remember the Tree Service truck? I could HEAR the cutting. I could see the branch shaking. But I was NOT allowed to see the sawing itself, because it wasn't me being pruned. God was making me wait while He is doing his thing in their life. Moreover, I could be injured if I get too close to the action. And so I wait. It might take awhile. (Did I bring a book?)

May God give you Grace for the Pruning, and for The Waiting.

Me, topping a Pile