Life Cycles
Imagine what our lives would be like if we learned to do things the way God does them.
Seek the Lord while he wills to be found; call upon him when he draws near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the evil ones their thoughts; And let them turn to the Lord, and he will have compassion, and to our God, for he will richly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as rain and snow fall from the heavens and return not again, but water the earth, Bringing forth life and giving growth, seed for sowing and bread for eating, So is my word that goes forth from my mouth; it will not return to me empty; But it will accomplish that which I have purposed, and prosper in that for which I sent it. - Isaiah 55:6-1
Isaiah tells us that God has a purpose in mind when He does things, like send out the rain to water the earth.
The rain doesn't come back to the clouds right away.
Instead, it enters the soil and nourishes the plants and trees, it fills the streams that lead to the oceans.
It brings life to all it touches, before the sun calls it home as vapor into the clouds to start the process all over again.
We have been vacationing in the Bordeaux region of France. Wine country. We are surrounded by vineyards. It has the effect of bringing me close to God, probably because Jesus talked about vineyards so much and used them in his parables.
Yesterday, we learned how one vineyard is changing its method of processing their grapes. Instead of stomping or crushing the berries, they let gravity do the work, and instead of pumping the liquid, they let gravity do that work as well.
The stems and leaves become fertilizer and the seeds and skins are used to pay their taxes!
The government accepts them as payment so it can collect and recycle them.
Nothing is wasted, which sounds very much like what Isaiah is telling us that God does.
Everything that comes from God makes its way to where it can be used, before being transformed into something that can return to God.
Could we do that? Could we try to make everything we do serve a greater purpose?
We may not be able to do it alone. We might need to partner with others.
Together, perhaps, we can be like God.
More to come...