Under His gaze, in Eden, I sprouted, flourished
Steered by sturdy hands of the Almighty
Lush and content, I thrived as I glowingly aspired
To greet every eye with elegant beauty
Soothe yearning souls with my delectable fruits
Overcome heights, spread my leaves, gain grounds
Be all I can, do all I dream: make the Master proud!
So I thought till He stood before me, shears in hands.
“What are those for?” I asked, unable to hedge my fears
“I created you for a purpose that transcends appearances
Not to be everywhere, in everything, at every time but
To find your place and in contentment, fill it with grace
Not just to be beautiful, but fruitful, unfettered, eternal.
These will clip off distractions, and refocus
Your energy on the vision that fulfills your mission.”
“O Lord, don’t waste this splendor!” I cried
“You were made to bear enduring fruits not looks.”
“But I reach everyone, everywhere: they all approve.“
“You’re wild but in containment you’ll find contentment.”
“Mercy Abba, the shears will kill me.” I wailed, anguished.
“Death, at the cross, is the foundation for new creation.”
“Oh, what could I have done to deserve such pains?”
“Fear not dear one, pain is the gateway to greater gains”
“I won’t be the same: I will be so limited and ugly.”
“Only for a while but the end will be glory and plenty.”
Preferring His will, I bowed. He put the shears to work.
I shed silent tears, heavy heart, as tresses were stripped:
Shedding extraneous bulks for extraordinary essence.
With a strange mix of compassion and skill, devoid of pity
He dished generous humility that served me as nothing
Before all who once thought I was something.
Thus began my new life: no longer in everyone’s face
Only to be found in the paths marked by providence
And with such modest and aimed commitment
I became the wine, served on the King’s table.

We are not accidents on planet earth. We didn’t just happen to be here, for however long that may be, to do whatever we please and eventually die. We are creatures of purpose. From the beginning to the end of our days, God our Maker has a plan and purpose for every one of us, for which we were gifted accordingly. He endowed us with diverse gifts to serve His purpose and these gifts are nurtured to maturity through use. Through our surrender, God uses these gifts to reach out, bless others and enrich us even more than we have served. He made us fit for all we are called to accomplish, and He makes us fit as days go by.

Left to ourselves, we are bound to miss landmarks, misplace priorities, forget the essentials and mismanage resources. However, like the faithful Father He is, God is always at hand, watching over us for good even when we feel alone. He is close at hand, to ensure that we are living accordingly; guiding our steps through the known and unknown, guarding us from destruction so that we are preserved to fulfil destiny despite the disappointments we may encounter. He is continually building our strength to show forth the best in us, trimming our excesses so we can stay on course, and working all things together for our good in the end. Without His guidance and pruning, we grow wild, unrestrained, a danger to ourselves and to those around. But in His care, we are continuously being shaped to fit and to meet His purpose of glory for our lives.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. John 15:1-8, NIV)

Do not despise the pruning of God in whatever form it comes. His intention is not to take away our beauty but to make it richer and more meaningful. Whenever He takes away, it is not to leave us bereft: He is creating room for better that grows to be best. Like the vine, He trims to make us not just beautiful but also useful and fruitful. Be patient with His process and trust that God know what He is doing even we don’t understand, and that He is faithful to make it good in the end.

Blessings
Glory!