Oh, Snap!
It’s every gardener’s worst sound…the dreaded snap! of a branch as we’re working. It’s usually followed with an “oh no!”, and a sinking feeling, knowing that that growth has now been severed. To a gardener, honestly, it’s a sad occurrence—having nurtured the plant to the point of it growing branches, then something reckless caused it to break—not good. If you’re into plants, you’re not into the snap.
The Master Gardener isn’t into snaps, either. Our snaps. The ones that we purposely do to break away from Him—the times in our lives when we say we don’t need God. The times when we put other gods before Him. The times when our anger and our crisis need a place to land, and they fall hard in the breaking away from the One needed most. Our snaps—not His.
And He whispers, “Oh no!”
We are told God grieves when His children turn from Him (2 Peter 3:9).
-He weeps over us, (Jeremiah 14:17)
-Is saddened over us, (Genesis 6:6)
-Longs for us, (John 3:16)
-Searches for us. (Matthew 18:12)
Our actions against Him, will always cause a reaction from Him. We may think we’re out here doing life alone, without concern from God, but we couldn’t be more wrong! As any loving parent grieves over the actions of their children, so God does over us.
Yet, there He is…waiting. He doesn’t care about the reasons why. He doesn’t care how long it’s been; a minute, or a lifetime. He doesn’t care about the anger, and the hurt, and the rejection—He just wants…you. He wants you in spite of what has been done. He wants you in spite of not wanting Him. He wants…you!
Dear Ones, Love is what God does best! It is through love, that He makes new again. He is in the business of regeneration; renewal, regrowth, rebirth. The God, who will do anything and everything to search you out, is in the business of regrowing what was severed. He grafts that which was lost, back to that which sustains. What may seem ruined to you, looks like renewal to Him. It is the propagation of the branch, back to the vine.
He knows where you’re at, and where you’ve been. Whether an outright rejection and disbelief, or a glancing blow because life came in hard, and Heaven was silent—breaking away from God happens. But it isn’t that choice that keeps Him from you; it is that choice that He runs to you.
When we realize God’s limitless pursuit of us, we will realize the limitless love He has for us. The God of mercy will never stop wanting to fix our snaps. Never! He knows, the plant cannot be whole until the branches return. You, my dears, are what God wants most. He is at the ready to renew—He is at the ready to regenerate—He is at the ready to regrow—no matter the past. His arms are open and ready…will you?