Faithfully Planted

I took 24 hours away this weekend to be with some girlfriends and enjoy the gift of a sweet woman's lake  house. It was filled with big windows to let the sunshine in. The beds were covered in light yellow and blue... YUMMY! It was a sweet time together. Last night we sat with 5 verses in Jeremiah 32:37-41.....

"Behold, I will gather them out of all the lands to which I have driven them in My anger, in My wrath and in great indignation; and I will bring them back to this place and make them dwell in safety. "They shall be My people, and I will be their God;and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me always, for their own good and for the good of their children after them."I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me."I will rejoice over them to do them good and will faithfully plant them in this land with all My heart and with all My soul."

 The Lord revealed some simple truths to me that were significant in the way I view life... (There were many more but this is what is replaying in my head and heart tonight).

1. There is a resounding repetition in these verses... "to do them good". At the end of the day, what we deserve is the Lord's anger, wrath, and indignation... what He offers in place of that... "to do them good." That I find comfort in.

2. As a whole, we are a people who love to relate to a group.... a sports team, sorority or fraternity, a certain school, political class, church, etc etc.... We find comfort and pride in being a part of the whole. BUT... the Lord says "they shall be MY PEOPLE." Am I proud to be HIS PERSON? Do I take great joy and responsibility in representing HIM well on a daily basis to others? Do you?

And lastly... the one that I am wrestling with the most...

3. "I will... faithfully plant them in this land with all My heart and with all My soul."

The Lord has given 110% to faithfully plant me and YOU where we are in this moment. He has used ALL of HIS heart and soul. Going back to the simple rules of gardening, we plant things in anticipation of growth and production of some sort. The Lord is the same way. He plants us specifically in places in anticipation of us growing and producing fruit and life to those around us. Food is not gardened for the sole purpose of itself; it is meant for fulfillment. How much more important are we? 

So I challenge you... Where have you been faithfully planted? Are you waiting to be uprooted like I am on some days? Are you letting the weeds of the world choke you and hinder your growth and potential? Are you surrounding yourself with others who bring life through joy and refreshment just as the sun and water do?

I asked myself the same things and for now I can tell you where the Lord has planted me....
A wife to my hunny, a sister, a friend,  Nashville, TN., Vanderbilt University, Shelbyville, TN at a clinic, Thursday night Bible study with other nursing girls, Monday nights with sweet sisters from church, Sunday nights with 6 other incredible couples,  an advocate for orphans in my community. 

Lately, there have been days when I wish my soil was halfway across the world in Africa. BUT... who I am to say that the soil there is fertile for me now. So I will humbly offer thanks for where I am planted TODAY.

I challenge you again to consider where you have been faithfully planted.