Camellias

It was an uncharacteristically warm summer morning as I was preparing for my work day.  I stepped out on the back porch to catch some fresh air before finishing my make-up.  I glanced over at a camellia bush that had most obviously turned a corner.  It had been struggling through the summer, but now I could tell it was dead.  I sighed.  We had babied that plant through many summers on the North Coast but didn’t water as much as we should have in the last few rainless months, mostly because the Fortuna water bills tend to be high.  But I was discouraged that the plant didn’t make it through after all these years – probably fifteen summers of “babying” since we planted the little tender shoot.   I thought about the old Victorian home we used to own.  The grounds of that home had a rather stately look and mature camellias that surrounded a wide shady porch as well as many other beautiful plants in the yard.  Funny, I thought - we never had to water those camellias during the summer… they were such old, mature and beautiful specimens.   Their root system and plant girth was so deep and wide that the water provided during the many rainy months and the early morning dew was enough to sustain these magnificent plants.  We don’t have to water the redwood forest – these mature trees are able to receive what they need from the rich environment provided from our Heavenly Father.

Then came the ah-ha moment.  Lord, I want to have the spiritual maturity that is represented by the old mature camellias that adorned our old home.  I want my relationship so rooted and so deep and totally constant in You that I am not affected by a dry spell here and there.  Lord may my encouragement and sustaining power come directly from You as I continue to commit to our relationship through daily times of study and prayer.  I so desire to attain that kind of spiritual growth, stability and maturity.

The Scriptures tell us, “And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to live in obedience to Him.  Let your roots grow down into Him and draw nourishment from Him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught.  Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all He has done.”  Colossians 2:6-7 (NLT)

Our Christian “walk” goes through many phases.  When we are that new believer – that “tender shoot,” there is much watering and protecting that needs to take place through our Christian brothers and sisters in the Church.  An experienced gardener once told me as we were purchasing some new plants that they would need “to be babied” at first with gentle watering every day.   We are called upon, as believers in Christ, to “disciple” one another in the faith.  If we are “older” in the faith, we are admonished to care for the “younger” (Titus 2:4-5).  The principle is not so much chronological age, but time spent walking with Jesus.  When we grow to the point of having our own daily “quiet time” of regular, consistent Bible study and prayer (that influences the way we live), our spiritual life and relationship with God takes a big leap.  It makes sense.  A relationship improves in quality and depth as there is significant time devoted and invested in the relationship.  Time spent in worship with other believers is incomparable.  In the working out of relationships in our spiritual family, we grow in Christian virtues of understanding, patience and most importantly, forgiveness. 

There are many opportunities presented by the body of Christ here at Hydesville Church that are specifically designed to aide spiritual growth.  However, nothing takes the place of that personal commitment to relationship and growth between the living Lord and oneself. 

We want to be a church that is characterized by that picture of many beautiful stately mature camellias that adorn the gardens and provide shade and protection to the “tender shoots” that the Lord entrusts to this congregation.  May we encourage each other and grow together in this new season.