Genesis 17:1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life.
There are few important rules while pruning a tree. Examine the tree and remove the dead and dry leaves and the water suckers. (Water sucker branches are shoots that grow from the roots rather than the trunk and branches of the tree). Do not trim more than 1/3rd of the plant’s wood at a time. Preparation and planning are required before pruning.
Similarly, the Lord prepares before He prunes us. The cutting back might come as a surprise to us but it is not a surprise to the Master Gardener, our Lord God. The family tree of Abraham that stood bare for 99 years, started sprouting and growing healthy foliage after 25 years of waiting. At the age of 100, Abraham and Sarah had their promised blessing Isaac. But just before Isaac was born, the Lord had a conversation with Abraham and disclosed His nature and His name, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ The firm foundation of faith was laid in Abraham’s substratum before he received the long awaited blessing. After Abraham tasted the potent and power of El-Shaddai came the test. The Lord God commanded him to sacrifice his only son Isaac as a burnt offering. Commentators believe that Isaac would have been in his late teens. So, the Lord God prepared Abraham to experience Him as the Lord Almighty before He put him to the test. He prepared Abraham for about 17-18 years before He used the sickle to prune him.
The Lord God builds our resilience by pruning:
1. Sick: It is recommended to remove and clear the dead and dry leaves from a plant to avoid fungus and mold growth. The sharp scissors of the Master Gardener will remove the dead deeds, rituals and traditionalism from us.
2. Suck: Water-sucker branches decay and can cause disease or pests to the tree, hence must be removed. There are some relationships that are water-suckers who suck away our spiritual energy. The people who infect us with doubts, ungodly commitments and or addictive habits are like water-sucker undergrowths. If we do not break away from water-suckers, the Master Gardener will use His pruning knife to sever them.
3. Sickle: As a gardener plans before he prunes, our Heavenly Father, plans before He cuts away the unnecessary branches or dead foliage. Abraham had his eyes fixed on the El-Shaddai when the sharp pruning sickle came at him. He believed that God could raise his son up, even if he were dead (Hebrew 11:19a). The pruning sickle will sever the self-confidence and sense of control and make us solely lean on the Omnipotent, All Mighty God. The pruning sickle will teach us to surrender and trust in God-Almighty, our El-Shaddai.
The Lord is our Master Gardener and He will prepare us before He prunes. Pruning paves the way for new healthy growth and builds resolute resilience.
Romans 4:18a Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations.
Prayer: God My Father, my El-Shaddai, build resolute resilience in me when the sharp pruning sickle is severing and shaping my spiritual man. Amen.
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