I mentioned in yesterday’s blog post how I sat down yesterday morning to have some quiet time with Jesus, and God introduced me to a brand-new worship song!
The words were very meaningful to me, because they led me to dwell on the amazing work of Jesus to save my soul! Jesus didn’t have to save my soul. But He did, because He loves me.
And not only that, Jesus didn’t just save me … but He loves me so much that He has continued to transform and change me, bit by bit, to become more like Himself. He didn’t leave me like I was. That is amazing!!
Here are the words to the song:
“You didn’t have to take my sin. But You did, and I won’t forget it.
You didn’t have to call me friend. But You did, and I won’t forget it.
And I’m praising You because You didn’t leave me like I was.
You didn’t have to save my soul. But You did, and I won’t forget it.
“You didn’t have to take my shame. But You did, and I won’t forget it.
You didn’t have to call my name. But You did, and I won’t forget it.
And I’m praising You because You didn’t leave me like I was.
You didn’t have to save my soul. But You did, and I won’t forget it.
“You didn’t have to die for me. But You did, and I won’t forget it.
You didn’t have to set me free. But You did, and I won’t forget it.
And I’m praising You because You didn’t leave me like I was.
You didn’t have to save my soul. But You did, and I won’t forget it.
(“Sure Been Good“)
This beautiful song is the perfect way to share some thoughts God had given me for the blog about spiritual growth. Jesus (via the work and power of the Holy Spirit in our life) changes us to become more like Himself – this is called “regeneration” and “sanctification.”
In early April I took this photo of our little Norway Spruce.
As you can see, lots of brand-new baby-green growth is emerging. This little Norway Spruce has had a hard life in the forest thus far. It’s “leader branch” has been broken off twice now by the deer. If you look closely, at the very center of the tree, you can see where the thick, sturdy “leader branch” comes about halfway up.
This little Norway Spruce can represent all of us and our lives. Each of us has done stupid things in our life. Each of us has done foolish things which we regret. Each of us have pieces of our life which have been “broken off” by sin which we have done towards others, or by sin which others have done towards us.
But the amazing thing is that even though we might make a mess out of the life God has given us, Jesus doesn’t leave us that way!
Jesus will renew us! Each day as we spend time with Jesus and get into His Word (the Bible), Jesus will renew us! Jesus will produce new baby-green growth in our life!
I was so excited about the little Norway Spruce’s brand-new baby-green growth! All this brand-new baby-green growth represents so much hope!
The brand-new baby-green growth will expand … and fill in … and all this new growth will change the tree! It won’t be the same tree anymore!
It is in the process of being renewed!
This is what Jesus does with our life! Jesus doesn’t leave me like I was.
I went out just now and took an updated photo of the little Norway Spruce this morning. Isn’t it beautiful! All that brand-new baby-green new growth has now stretched out to about 3-4 inches of actively maturing growth.
This is what Jesus does with our life! Jesus takes the mess that we were … and Jesus renews us! Jesus changes us! Jesus makes something beautiful out of our life!
But this little Norway Spruce won’t stay exactly like this … indefinitely.
It will mature and grow with this set of new growth this season. Then next summer it will stretch and expand and get taller as it matures and grows with yet another set of new growth for the next season. Then the next year it will stretch even taller, and put out even more new growth, as it matures and grows during the next season.
This is exactly what Jesus does in our life! If we have given our life to Jesus Christ to love and follow Him, then we should be actively growing and changing, spiritually. I am not at all the same person, spiritually speaking, that I was 5 years ago, or 10 years ago, and I’m very much not at all the same person, spiritually speaking, that I was 20 years ago!
But here is another example:
Here you can see our little Grand Fir this past November. I was absolutely crushed to come out one day last November and see that it’s “leader branch” had been broken off by the deer.
Just like the little Norway Spruce, this little Grand Fir has also had its fair share of struggles trying to survive in the forest. Two years in a row, just after being planted and trying to establish its roots, it got peed on by coyotes … which really set its growth back.
But it had recovered. It was doing so well. It was growing tall and becoming beautiful.
And then … life snapped a huge chunk off.
Right now, in this current season of life I’m in, there are two very dear someone’s whom Jesus is getting ready to take to Heaven to be with Him.
When we lose someone very dear to us, it is like this little Grand Fir in the photo … it is like having a huge chunk of who we are broken off.
We grieve. And we don’t know how we will ever grow again. We don’t know if we even want to grow again.
But Jesus is so loving! Even in our brokenness and grief, Jesus brings new life and new growth.
I went out this morning and took and updated photo of the little Grand Fir for you to see. It is not at all the same tall, well-formed tree that it was before. You can see its broken “leader branch” on the right side.
But this little tree exudes hope! There is new life! There is new growth! There is a future for this little tree! This little tree will keep growing to become something beautiful!
This right here is what Jesus does in our life! When we go through loss and grief … when huge chunks of our life are snapped and broken off … Jesus Christ can restore us! Jesus Christ can renew our soul, even in the grieving. Jesus Christ can bring new life and growth once again.
Because of Jesus, there is so much hope!
Here is one more example:
Here you can see the new growth emerging on our little Lodgepole pine trees. Lodgepole pines grow exceedingly tall, therefore their new growth is very long!
Each little stem of new growth is about 6 or more inches long! I have loved watching all this new growth come out on the trees. The new branches of tender green expanding pine needles are so beautiful!
In this example we might think of the little Norway Spruce comparing its brand-new baby-green growth to the Lodgepole pine’s new growth. The little Norway Spruce might think that its new growth isn’t as good as the Lodgepole pine’s new growth. After all, the Lodgepole pine’s new growth is so much more impressive.
Similarly, the little Grand Fir might compare its new growth to the Lodgepole pine’s new growth, and it too might feel like its new growth isn’t “good enough.”
This is what we tend to do, spiritually speaking, when it comes to our spiritual growth. We might look at someone else who seems to have much greater spiritual growth. And we compare our spiritual growth to theirs.
But that other person was made completely different by God for a completely different purpose. Their spiritual growth matches the purpose which God intends for their life.
The spiritual growth that the Holy Spirit is producing in my life, to make me more and more like Jesus, is specifically unique to me. I can’t compare my growth to other people! God has a specific purpose and calling for my life. And it is different than that other person. I can’t accomplish God’s purpose for my life with the growth that God is producing in their life. I need the growth that God is producing in my own life!
My spiritual growth is significant! It won’t look like someone else’s … but that’s ok. God is producing this spiritual growth in my life according to the purpose He has for me!
So what about you?
Are you a follower of Jesus Christ? If not, would you like for Jesus to change you, redeem you, renew you, and bring new growth in your life? He will! Just ask Him!
If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, are you growing? Have you changed? … in the last 5 years? … in the last 10 years? Or do you basically look like the same person, spiritually speaking, that you’ve always been?
Thank you Jesus that you didn’t leave me like I was! Thank you Jesus, that you won’t leave any of us like we are.
Thank you Jesus that you redeem us! Thank you Jesus that you change us!
Thank you Jesus that you bring new life and growth in our life … to make us grow tall and beautiful for You!
