[Tweet “Seize the little foxes – destroyers of vineyards: don’t let little things #steal your #joy! “]
YLT Song of Solomon 2:15
I bought a gorgeous hibiscus plant in April. Daily, new blossoms of beauty delight me!
I love my gardens in the spring/summer. Baby birds, hummingbirds, blooms galore, and a sweet, little bunny nibbling clover in our lush, green grass.
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Jeff came in one morning and said, “Have you noticed the plant out front is losing it’s leaves? It’s like someone is snipping them off.”
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I responded, thinking he was talking about my daisy plants. “Oh, I’ve been deadheading them so hopefully we’ll get another bloom out of them later.”
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He looked at me funny but didn’t say anything else. It wasn’t until the next morning that I realized he wasn’t talking about my daisies but my hibiscus plant! I walked out the next morning and saw my hibiscus was stripped down to bare twigs. Not only that, the culprit sitting on his haunches, nibbling the last of the leaves. That “innocent” looking bunny had destroyed my hibiscus in a matter of days!
How could something so little, so innocent, do so much damage?
s[Tweet “Don’t underestimate the #power of the #little things in life to #destroy. “]
As I follow Christ, I’ve been alert to the “BIG” destroyers of my faith- ie hate, selfishness, bitterness, greediness, rebellion, etc.
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I know to keep my eyes open for the big destroyers- “Your adversary, the devil, roams around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” Oh yes, I’m on the lookout for that deadly lion.
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But many times I’m unaware of the little bunnies. The Song of Solomon calls them “little foxes” or “little jackals”.
[Tweet “Don’t #underestimate the power of little foxes to destroy your garden. #flourish”]
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I underestimate their ability to destroy my vineyard! It is the little things that destroy my vine (LIFE and LOVE) right in front of me.
Nibble here, nibble there, and SNAP, the beautiful growth and lushness of the vine are stripped bare.
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It happens in my life- when I allow “little” things to rob my joy for the day. “Irritations, inconveniences, small, petty disturbances, things that won’t matter tomorrow, trifling time wasters, distractions that pull my focus to the glitz of this world instead of the realities of heaven…”
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It happens in marriage- if I’m not tending the vine of our love, those darn little foxes get in and nibble away until I’m wondering why we’re stressed instead of rejoicing in the love He’s gifted us?
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It happens in my relationship with the Lord. I’m literally tearing up right now. How many times have I let little foxes run in my garden? Or should I say- ruin my garden- steal the blossoms and fruit of my love relationship with the Lord?
a[Tweet “Hide me in the #shelter of Your #love- save me from my enemies. #prayer”]
I love the same verse in the World English Version.
“Catch us the foxes,
Foxes those little ones,
Wasting our vineyards,
When our vineyards are blossoming. Beloved.”
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That one little word- Beloved– stirs a yearning to tend my vineyard.
photo credit- Lectionary Biblog
When I’m in His presence, listening, talking, focused on who He is, there is a sumptuous life giving growth happening!
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His love,
my love for Him,
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intertwine to create abundance- verdant life-heavenly flourishing- extravagant, mysterious beauty.
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I cry because I know how many times I’ve let the little foxes (bunnies) strip my soul bare.
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Those little “bunnies” may look innocent but I am called to catch them! I’m going to seize those little boogers and chase them far away from my my vineyard :).
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As I’ve passed my hibiscus plant each day, I’ve been mulling over this life lesson the Lord’s been teaching me.
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My delight knew no bounds today. I went out to water things and LO! (isn’t that such a good old fashioned Bible word 😉 ???
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LO, what was barren the day before, was beginning to bloom afresh!
Isn’t that just like the Lord?????
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He will not leave us stripped bare! I hadn’t seized that bunny but that didn’t stop my Beloved from bringing about new life
[Tweet “Our Good #Father always brings #new beginnings and #life from #death. #hope”]!
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He will cause us to flourish and be fruitful. He is the LIFE in our vine and as we remain in Him, death and destruction will be swallowed up by His life!
Surprising Treasure: John 15:4-5
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.
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Indeed the little foxes do destroy the vine… diligence is the order of our age.
I think it’s Love- understanding how valuable that love is- how naked and stripped down we are if we don’t nurture and protect our relationship with the Lord (and people) that is our key motivator to catching those little foxes. 🙂
Oh what joy to know that the “old fox” cannot destroy God’s creation. The Lord uses the “damage” for good, pruning us for new life! That says a lot about what we see going on in the world, as well. Thank you for this day-brightening reminder, dear Cindy!
God’s love and life flow in and through us. May we catch those little boogers ruining our vineyard so that we can walk with joy in the Garden with Him. 🙂