Over fourty years ago a young pastor of the Galveston Church of The Nazarene gave me a book which he recommended I read. It was written by a Quaker woman named Hannah W. Smith. The title of the book was "The Christian's Secret to a Happy Life". I read the book back then and over the years have continued to read the book on various occasions. Each time I read it I seem to find something new.
I am in the process of re-reading that sane old book now and came across a concept this morning that I wanted to share with you. I've said many times before that I doubt I ever have an original thought. If there is something in my writings that seem insightful or something that seems to be an intelligent thought, it probably didn't come from me. But let me share this with you. I think it will be worth your time to read it.
In the holiness doctrine that we teach in the Church of the Nazarene, we speak of two definite works of grace , salvation and sanctification, and then the process of "growing in grace". This concept is often confused and confusing. But I believe Ms Smith clarifies it for us.
She explains it by comparing it to a plant. For instance, this year I decided not only to plant tomatoes in my garden but to also plant a few in buckets and leave them on the back deck. My thinking was that I could keep a close eye on them, keep them watered and keep a little "miracle grow" on them from time to time and that they would grow in that specialized care. It's worked out pretty well.
But what if I had this idea? What if I planted the tomatoes on the back deck and said, "I will plant these tomato plants here on the deck, but before the summer is over I trust that they will grow into the garden" What if I went out every morning and was discouraged because the plants were still on the back deck and not in the garden? That is a stupid story I know but look how it applies to some Christian's way of thinking.
Some folk believe that just because their grand-parents and their parents were Christians, just because they were raised in the church, just because they read their Bible every day, pray every day, go to church every time the doors are open...that they will "grow" into being the Christian God wants them to be without ever experiencing those "crisis experiences" of salvation and sanctification.
Wrong thinking. One can no more grow into being a Christian than my tomato plants can grow into being in the garden. The plants must first be planted in the garden before they can grow in the garden. One must first be planted in Christ (by confessing his sins and accepting Jesus as his Savior) before he can grow in Christ. One must first be made free from the guilt of sin (salvation) and the chains of sin (sanctification) before he can grow in his Christian life as he was meant to grow.
And before I go let me apply a little more garden thinking. In order for a plant to grow there must be plenty of water and fertilizer. Too little water and the plant will dry up. Too little fertilizer and the plant will be weak and stunted.
If we as Christians don't get enough of the water of the Holy Spirit, that living water, we will dry up, become legalistic, jump through all the hoops but for all the wrong reasons. Likewise if we don't get a little fertilizer from time to time we become stunted.
So the next time you get "dumped on". The next time you feel like someone has given you a load of ........fertilizer. Just take it for what it is. Use that "fertilizer" to help you grow. Without it you will live a weak, dried up, stunted life.
I hope you will make sure first of all that you are planted in the right place. And I also hope you get plenty of water and "fertilizer" this week. You may not want it, it may not be pleasant, but remember it will help you grow "in" grace.
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