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Foxgloves...and God's Ability to Redeem Anything This week we began our spring Grief Recovery workshop. I look at the people that I and the grief facilitators will be sharing our lives with over the next couple of months and I see beauty for ashes, strength in weakness, triumph over adversity, weeds to blooming flowers. I see the bleeding and wounded, the messy scars and travail of this life. I see God's love toward his people who grieve, and I see his power to redeem anything-- anything!--with that Father's love. Jeane's sister Maureen recently sent us a great Lent devotional from a book by John Indermark called Parables and Passion. He tells a story:
I occasionally preach at the Lutheran church in my town. One Sunday the vase on the altar was filled with light purple blooms running down long green stems. The organist remarked not only on its beauty but the fact that many folks consider foxgloves to be weeds.
A beautiful bouquet that adorns an alter--weeds? Weeds indeed. We googled it. Foxgloves are not just weeds, but poisonous ones to boot!
But God comes, and he takes the weeds and he pours on his love. There's work involved. We hold the thorns and poison up to the light of his truth and place them purposefully on his alter and he transforms them into something that we can only marvel at.
Our broken hearts, our bruised and tired bodies and trampled emotions are ever changed--transformed by his redeeming love. We see this over and over again in grief recovery. We see it in our own lives.
We all know people who are the sweetest of ministers because they have gone through the worst of the flames. They know what it's like to live in the midst of a thorn-infested world, redeemed.
John Indermark ends his article with this thought:
Knowing we are so loved by God, we are called to so love others...sometimes what we take for a weed ends up a life of beauty and faith before God...like those foxgloves on the Lutheran altar. It's not just pretty word-pictures. It's real. It is the Real Work of the master's hands. Greg |
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Fellowship of Followers
Sunday Evening, March 10, 6:15 PM
Debbie's House
Greg leads this small group study and discussion for those interested in taking their faith-walk a step deeper. It's all about being a disciple of Jesus and what that really means in our day-to-day walk. We also focus on how to minister to others. Come at 6:15 PM. Call Debbie for address and directions to her house (near Deer Valley Rd and 91st Avenue) at 623-329-5333.
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Women's Study
Monday Evening, March 11, 7:00 PM
Gayle's House
Gather with other women of faith in this small group setting. We are currently watching a video series called "Be Still and Know That I am God" by a variety of well-known Christian speakers. Call Gayle at 623-340-1470 for any questions or for directions to her house.
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Every Tuesday Night, 6:30 PM
Community Church of Joy
21000 N 75th Ave, Glendale
Be sure to let your friends and family know about this dynamic video series presented by renowned experts on relationship and divorce issues. If you have recently gone through a divorce, please come. It could be the best thing you have done for yourself. Call Jerry for more info at 623-972-7651.
Our 13-week DivorceCare series is on-going. You are welcome to join in at any time. We meet in the church lobby.
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