We had noisy miners nesting in the lillipilli tree in our rear neighbour’s yard. The babies of the noisy miners cheep cheep cheep non-stop from dawn to dusk on one note - not the most melodious and welcome birdsong, I must admit.
When I was outside yesterday I pointed out to Pete that this was the 3rd clutch of Johnny one notes for this season and that they are in the nest for a month before they will fledge. I explained to him that we will then have 16 days of silence before the next lot of Johnny one notes start up. I contemplated that they had another 3 clutches to go for this season.
Apparently our neighbour must’ve been nearby and heard my comments because the next thing we knew he had his ladder up and was feverishly and angrily sawing and ripping off the branch with the nest.
Our place has been never so quiet ever since………
I was sad as I thought about this and sat down. I randomly opened my Bible to read:
“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will take a branch from the top of a tall cedar, and I will plant it on the top of Israel’s highest mountain. It will become a majestic cedar, sending forth its branches and producing seed. Birds of every sort will nest in it, finding shelter in the shade of its branches.
And all the trees will know that it is I, the Lord, who cuts the tall tree down and makes the short tree grow tall.
It is I who makes the green tree wither and gives the dead tree new life. I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will do what I said!” (Ez. 27:22-24).
Talk about a Holy Spirit “coincidence”!
God is telling us that He takes, sets, breaks off, plants, brings low, plants on high, causes the broken off branch to become fruitful and become majestic.
It is God’s prerogative to get us, break us, and then to exalt us so we can be fruitful. These words in Ezekiel lead us into the lesson that Jesus gave us about the vine:
He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more (John 15:2).
So dear friend, this pruning you are going through seems painful and hard. You despair of where it is all going but here is God speaking to you, today, telling you He has a plan for you — a plan to prosper you to be even more fruitful, majestic and beautiful to Him — a plan to give you a mighty hope.
“For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome”. (Jer. 29:11 AMPC).
Comments