“A planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor”
Spring is bursting forth! The bird song is so filled with happiness and the crocus and daffodil are erupting from the earth! The experience of forgiveness, its healing and its fruit, are pictured in what is happening.
You could say that some hurts needing forgiveness are buried deep in our hearts, out of sight but not out of mind. Left to themselves, that space in our hearts, now home to an injury, can easily germinate and begin to sprout weeds of bitterness and distrust. What’s to be done?
Plant a flower to take over that space. When it sprouts, take care of it. You may have to water it and pull the weeds wanting to crowd out its life. But with patience and cultivation, beauty can take over the space that before was sure to produce ugliness.
By planting a seed of truth in our hearts, truth that represents the greatest love ever shown to mankind, we can begin the process of healing the wound in our soul and destroying the bitterness that otherwise is sure to clutter the landscape. What is that seed of truth? There is no truth more full of life than what’s found in the scriptures describing God’s love and forgiveness toward us in Jesus Christ. We are called to imitate him toward those who hurt us.
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
(Colossians 3:12-14 NIV; cf. Matthew 5:43-48; Ephesians 4:29-32)
See the Truth. Put it where the hurt is, in your mind and heart. Invite the light of God’s word to bathe that hurt-filled space, and be ready to cultivate whatever small sprout of mercy and grace that begins to emerge. As you cast off the offense and pull the weeds it sprouts, keep watch to see the way forward that God provides – perhaps even a pathway to reconciliation with the one who caused you such grief. What beauty! — the breath of fresh air — the creation of new life.
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.
Isaiah 61:1-3 NIV
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:6-7 NKJV
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