Reach for the Sun

When I was a child, my family and I would take walks. I suppose my parents used these excursions for exercise, but mainly they were opportunities to spend time together. We would talk about our day or anything on our minds. My parents always made it enjoyable for us. A favorite destination on these walks was the train tracks. We would walk around town and often found our way to the tracks so my siblings and I could experience the thrill of the trains rushing through town.

As an adult, I developed the habit of walking. I started with a desperate need for exercise when my children were young, and I needed to get out of the house. I have kept up the practice transitioning into an excellent opportunity to spend time with God. I usually have great talks with God. These walks enable me to see circumstances or situations from a new perspective. God usually gives me little pearls as I walk and allow my mind to wander.

One day during the summer, I was taking my usual morning walk. However, I focused on walking, goal setting, and achieving that day. I walked with purpose, head down, determined to complete the circle in good time, concentrated on myself. 

About halfway through, I realized I had no new nuggets from God. He hadn’t broken through my thoughts. I thought, okay, maybe not every time I walk, I get fresh pearls. It just isn’t my day today. I kept my pace up, focused on one foot in front of the other. I started to get tired and wondered why I was taking a walk. It was extremely hot, and I just wanted to go home. But I still had at least a mile to reach home. I had no choice but to keep going. I finally got to my street, and I could start slowing down.   I remember being so grateful that a nice cool drink of water was in my future. As I slowed down, I remembered my word for the year, “courage .”I started to pray for courage to face whatever the day would bring me. At my slower pace, I looked up – finally- and saw this massive tree in my neighborhood.

At the very top, things were sticking out. My eyesight is not what it used to be, and I wondered what was sticking out the top. As I got closer, the tree looked like it was wearing a crown. But I realized it was new growth sprouting up from underneath the established branches. Immediately I realized that is how we are supposed to be. No matter how big or mature we are, we must have new growth. This new growth was bursting through the established branches reaching for the light of the sun. I realized I needed new growth bursting through my rooted life and stretching for Jesus, the SON.

What does new growth mean for a believer? No matter how old we are, we can grow and mature in living for and serving God. As I participated in various Bible studies, I have seen my need to pray more. Not just a few sentences in the morning and at night, but soul-searching time spent with God. Time spent on my knees with my head bowed is when the Holy Spirit whispers truth to my heart and helps me change and grow in the areas that will be pleasing to God. My prayers have even changed as I surrender more of myself to God.

Several years ago, my father, a retired minister, decided to memorize more scripture. In his 70’s, he began writing down and learning God’s Word. I would have thought that he had this knowledge stored away in his mind, but he wanted more. He is now 86 and has suffered a hemorrhagic stroke, but he still remembers his Bible verses. He gives me a scripture verse to meditate on or encourage me whenever I talk with him. God’s Word is so important to him. I am inspired to start memorizing scripture. I rely on my phone to look passages up, but I need to have God’s Word stored in my heart so that I can meditate on it day and night. Psalm 119:11 says, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”This practice will help me grow in faith and help me not to sin against God.

As I have developed a closer relationship with Jesus, my attitudes have changed and grown. Other people’s behaviors or actions that once bothered me no longer do. With God’s help, I want to love people and not judge them. And attitudes that I once held dear I can let go. I must abolish attitudes and behaviors from my thoughts and actions that are not pleasing to God. If I want growth, I need to look forward, not backward. Proverbs 4:25 is a great verse to encourage me in looking forward, “Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.” I want to be a bright light in a dark world so that people will be drawn to God so that they can know the truth of God’s love and provision of salvation through Jesus. I have learned the value of growing the fruit of the spirit in my life. Galatians 5:22-23 gives a comprehensive list of what the fruit of the spirit is. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” Galatians 5:22-23.

As the new growth on the tree seemed to come from inside the tree, my new growth must come from inside me. None of us is perfect, so we all have areas to grow in. Just like in nature, change may be slow and, at times, difficult to see. I have walked past that same tree many times and never saw it growing until that morning in July. God knows what we need to grow and sees our growth long before the world around us may notice. If we are alive, evolvement is possible. How do I know this? Philippians 1:6 states, “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. My growth has less to do with me and more to do with Who is growing me. My part is to go with an open heart and allow God to have his way in my life. I strive for more life, not death. Elevation worship has a song entitled, My Testimony. One line says, If I’m not dead, you’re not done. Greater things are still to come, Oh I believe”—what an excellent thought. God is not done with me as long as I am alive. I can continue to mature to bring God glory, honor, and praise by His power and strength.

That particular morning I was so focused on myself, my goal, my determination that I left God out of my walk. When I got my eyes off myself and started thinking about Him, He showed himself to me and reminded me always to look up and reach for Jesus.

New growth comes as we reach toward the light. God gently but effectively reminded me to focus on Him instead of myself. I encourage you to put your heart and soul into finding the Son and keep growing. Growth is possible at any stage of our life.