Isaiah 55:12-13
“Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall be to the Lord for a memorial, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.” vs. 13
Day by day, as the water of the life-giving word of God seeps into our lives, we are being transformed by the re-creative power of the Holy Spirit. The effects may be minimal at first…a tiny blossom of goodness at an unexpected time, an outburst of love that goes beyond the flesh…but over time we actually become, for others, the presence of the living Christ. We abandon competition in relationships and discontinue our efforts to dominate in favor of a powerful gentleness that warms hearts and changes minds. Isaiah describes this change in natural terms: instead of the thorn comes up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle. Of course the change in us is never so complete as we might like…we remain sinners even as we are transformed. Perhaps the best we can hope for is to be a “Myrtle Brier,” a combination of saint and sinner, but a delightful inspiration nonetheless, and maybe even an everlasting sign of God’s mercy and grace. Some of us have been privileged to know “Myrtle Briers” and they have become for us fountains of wisdom and love. They bless us with their presence…and it’s a blessing that comes straight from the heart of God.
Thought for the Day: Who might be a “Myrtle Brier” in my life?
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