Remember that darned stump? It’s GONE – obliterated, destroyed, rooted out once and for all! The first picture shows all of the roots, rocks and pieces that were left over after we got the stump out. The second picture shows the retaining wall going up where the stump used to be!
Seeing that stump come out was so gratifying – and also an incredible picture of perseverance and God’s faithfulness…“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.” Philippians 1:6 “for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose” Philippians 2:13
When we allow God to work in our lives by surrendering our past and old ways to Jesus (no matter how deeply they are rooted) he WILL prove faithful in helping us overcome them. It will not be easy…Jesus promised us it wouldn’t be in John 16:33 “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” It won’t be easy…but it will be GOOD and it will lead to FREEDOM as Jesus promised us in John 8:32 “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free”
Incidentally this is the first step in the Reclaim Process that we take men through to reclaim their true identity and purpose: Know Truth and Renounce Lies. More on that later! For now I wonder…is there an area in my life that I need to fully surrender to God and ask him to do some hardcore digging in? For me many times it’s my attitude and the way I speak to and treat my family (why is it that frequently I save my best behavior for people who barely know me and my worst behavior for those I love the most?). What about you? Is there a stump or root that you know Jesus would like to dig out in your life?
