GOD’S WORD FOR JANUARY 24 ~ ~ Luke 8:14~ ~ “And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of [this] life, and bring no fruit to perfection.”
In 1805, when Lewis and Clark crossed the Continental Divide, they were friendly with the native people. One of the foods they ate was cooked bitterroot. Eager to learn all he could, Lewis asked to taste the bitterroot. We can imagine the Indians smiling at each other, as they watched his face when he bit into this terrible tasting root. He no doubt quickly learned to cook it first.
The bitterroot grows in rocky, depleted soil Under these conditions the plant cannot even support a few leaves at the same time that it has flowers. So the leaves appear early in the spring to make food for storage in the large root. Once enough energy is stored, the leaves wither and flower buds appear. The Latin name means resurrection, because the environment that it comes up from, seems dead.
This again shows a loving Creator who pays attention to details, and shows us that, in His strength, we can make it under any circumstances. Like the bitterroot, we need to “bloom where we’re planted”, and look to our Lord and Creator, instead of coveting the riches of this world.
It is also a picture of how He works with us in our lives. The root is bitter and inedible until it’s cooked.
In the Christian walk, we are guaranteed to have problems if we’re walking with Him. It’s how we deal with these trials that will determine whether we please Him, and grow in Him or not. If we immediately look to Him for guidance, strength, protection, as well as the most important, giving the situation to Him, and thanking Him for being with us through it, He will give us wisdom about it, and His will will be done. When we approach it that way, we will that much more quickly see the outcome of ever greater blessings in our walk with Him. We will even come to the point of being thankful for the trial, because it is His will for us, and an instrument to bring us closer to Him.
It will soften our hearts, as the cooking softens the bitterroot, giving it a totally different and delightful flavor!!!! Our God knows how to flavor our lives with His presence!!!!