Welcome to the 3-Minute Mile
Part 5
A 3-minute mile does not exist in the natural running world,
because no one has ever been able to run that fast.
But, in your spiritual run – you can be transported quickly.
ADVENTURES IN PRAYER
TIMELY VISION FOR THE FUTURE
QUICK SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS
God can do it through YOU!
He needs YOU!
God designed YOU to run the good race.
We had to cut down the spent flowers to expose the path. As I looked at my late Spring garden, I remembered the process. First, it was dormant for the Winter. As the rains came and the warmer weather, the sun hit the patch beside the house, and it began to awaken.
Right on time, the hyacinths emerged – first as nothing but leaves, and then the stems came, followed by the showy purple flowers.
I could hardly stand the excitement while I waited for my grandmother's, mother's, and now my bleeding heart plant to emerge from the ground. It seemed like an eternity that might never happen, but I had the faith that once again, it would not fail me. I was right. When the conditions were perfect, in a short amount of time, it emerged through the ground. It daily grew until it was again a massive plant with a smaller one in front of it. It made no apology of its splendor when the beautiful heart-shaped blooms popped out all over it. Top to bottom, it was glorious – a sight to behold.
The path that passes by it had been unimpeded until it took over and covered most of it. No longer could you walk easily on the little trail, for the bleeding heart had made its presence seen and known.
So, there was no problem putting a big coreopsis potted plant on the end of the path. The path was now blocked. There was parking in the moment of a few weeks that caused us to stay and enjoy. We could walk past the spiderwort plants and turn and look at the fish in the pond. They were enjoying the warmer weather. Their hibernation time was over, and they were spawning and running and jumping merrily. They were eating again. Their forced fast was over, and they celebrated twice a day when they sensed us cross the deck – or maybe it was the vibration our feet made. It was a glorious dead-end path with tremendous rewards.
Then the usual happened. The spiderworts were growing again between the patio blocks and trying to fill in vacant spaces. It was no longer visually pleasant. So, we went to work eventually to remove them. Those roots are hard to reach, as some emerged again. Not in the right place, they become annoying and a detriment to walking on the path. Last year we pulled them out from around the pond because they had taken over. Tall and not so glorious they were for us. The little purple blooms close up when it is too hot, cold, and at night. So, as you can imagine, they are not open a lot. As they grow tall and lanky, the plants fall over – also not so appealing. So, what was once a joy, became overwhelming. We did not completely get rid of them, leaving some along the path.
Just when these plants were at their best, I began to see the telltale yellow leaves signaling the bleeding heart was on its way out. Sure enough, in a few short days, it no longer was the specimen that it was before. True to my character, I left off pruning it back even too long. As I began the process and cut the dead branches back, soon, nothing much left. But – the path was now unimpeded. We staked the spiderworts next to it this time – the first time. They stood up straight and back off the path, leaving lots of room to walk by them.
The coreopsis was moved beside the path and into the flowerbed. Still beautiful, it did not lose its place.
So now, the path was free after a glorious Spring season that caused us to stop and reflect the past, present, and future.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (AMP)
There is a season (a time appointed) for everything and a time for every delight and event or purpose under heaven—
2 A time to be born and a time to die;
A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.
3 A time to kill and a time to heal;
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
4 A time to weep and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn and a time to dance.
5 A time to throw away stones and a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing.
6 A time to search and a time to give up as lost;
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
7 A time to tear apart and a time to sew together;
A time to keep silent and a time to speak.
8A time to love and a time to hate;
A time for war and a time for peace.
There is a season for everything in the garden. There is a season for everything in our natural and spiritual lives. As the cycles come and go, we see patterns that require faith and action. It is in our best interest to listen to the still small voice of the Lord and follow His commands closely.
A PRAYER FOR YOU TO PRAY:
I come to You, Father, and submit to you and the seasons of my life. I desire to walk in faith and to stop and observe to get clear direction as to how to proceed. Anoint my eyes to see the beauty all around me. Show me anything that needs to be changed, rearranged, or removed. In Jesus Name, I pray. Amen