BC3 Women’s Retreat 2020 Deepening our Roots, Weathering the Storms, and Sharing the Fruit Scripture & Study Resource Jeremiah 17:5-13 5 This is what the LORD says: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the LORD. 6 That person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it comes. They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. 7 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. 8 They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” 9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? 10 “I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.” 11 Like a partridge that hatches eggs it did not lay are those who gain riches by unjust means. When their lives are half gone, their riches will desert them, and in the end they will prove to be fools. 12 A glorious throne, exalted from the beginning, is the place of our sanctuary. 13 LORD, you are the hope of Israel; all who forsake you will be put to shame. Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust because they have forsaken the LORD, the spring of living water.”
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BC3 Women’s Retreat 2020
Deepening our Roots,
Weathering the Storms,
and Sharing the Fruit Scripture & Study Resource
Jeremiah 17:5-13
5 This is what the LORD says:
“Cursed is the one who trusts in man,
who draws strength from mere flesh
and whose heart turns away from the LORD. 6 That person will be like a bush in the wastelands;
they will not see prosperity when it comes.
They will dwell in the parched places of the desert,
in a salt land where no one lives. 7 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD,
whose confidence is in him. 8 They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.” 9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? 10 “I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct,
according to what their deeds deserve.” 11 Like a partridge that hatches eggs it did not lay are those who gain riches by unjust means.
When their lives are half gone, their riches will desert them, and in the end they will prove to be fools. 12 A glorious throne, exalted from the beginning, is the place of our sanctuary. 13 LORD, you are the hope of Israel; all who forsake you will be put to shame.
Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust because they have forsaken the LORD,
the spring of living water.”
Thoughts & prompts:
• Reflect on what God is saying throughout our theme passage. Do you find comfort? Conviction?
Challenge? What do you notice when you read it multiple times?
• How much of the blessings and curses are dependent on our actions, and how much on His?
• It’s easy to think of others who fit God’s description of “fools.” How have I been foolish?
• If you recall our sermon series on James, or studying the Source of Living Water, how is this related?
• What do you learn in these passages: James 2:14-26; John 4:1-42; John 7:37-39; Revelation 7:9-17
Deepening Our Roots
In the northwest, we see the importance of strong roots in every
windstorm. What difference does the type of soil make? What trials
and circumstances in your life can be likened to a windstorm,
earthquake, drought, flood, etc? Are they always extreme and
devastating? If one Christian weathers a storm without any damage,
what should we expect of others experiencing a similar trial?
Col. 2:6,7 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted
and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
Hosea 14:5,6 I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like a lily. Like a cedar of Lebanon he will
send down his roots; 6 his young shoots will grow. His splendor will be like an olive tree,
his fragrance like a cedar of Lebanon.
Thoughts & prompts:
• Read the verses following Col. 2:7. What are the warnings?
• Where are my roots getting nourishment? What sources of comfort & advice do I turn to?
• Have I learned this the easy or hard way? What will help me as I move forward?
• What (or who) would help my roots grow deeper in Christ?
• What roles do the Bible, church, prayer, and other believers play?
• Read all of Hosea 14. What was Israel’s downfall? What saved them?
• How are we to handle the Word? See 2 Tim. 2:15,
Psalm 119:105, James 3:1
• Read all of Isaiah 5 and take notes on what
happens to the vineyard.
• How can I apply the warnings to my life?
• What is the danger of taking verses out of context?
For example, I like the first line of verse 11: “Woe to
those who rise early in the morning…”! How have
you experienced “proof-texting” or someone quoting
scripture out of context to prove a point? How do we
respond, and avoid doing it ourselves?
Seeds and Soil
We hear about the influence of nature vs. nurture. For every example of a
person whose environment shaped them negatively, there’s another one
who overcame their circumstances. If we think of our family “roots,” how
much credit or blame do we tend to assign? Our roots are part of who we
are, and they affect how well we fare when we are transplanted or
stressed. How do our family roots affect our spiritual formation? Take a
look at the Parable of the Sower and the Soil in Matthew 13:1-23.
Thoughts and Prompts:
• Does this apply only to those who receive or reject salvation?
• How can we be like the poor soil?
• How can I become and remain like the good soil?
• How have I seen a harvest? Where have I wished I could see the harvest?
• How do I respond to people who say they don’t see the harvest in my life?
• Read 2 Cor. 4:16-18. How can the concept of a harvest help me to keep focused on eternal things?
• Read the Parable of the weeds: Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
• Who can sow weeds in our lives? Have I sown weeds in the lives of others? What are some examples of
weeds sown in your life? How does the treatment of the weeds in the wheat contrast with weeds that
spring up in a garden (habits in our lives)?
• How easily do we identify weeds? How can things that are not intrinsically evil become like weeds? i.e,
hobbies, media, time with friends, time in nature, or even doing only “Christian” things?
Someone gave us this card after Jay’s dad passed away, and it made me think
of the influence of parents, teachers, and other mentors in our lives. Who
comes to mind when you think of someone who planted seeds in your life?
Was your “soil” receptive right away, or did it take time for anything to grow?
What was it about those people that made a meaningful impact? I think of my
professors who cared about their students, and encouraged us to dig into a
topic. Even if we challenged their statements, my favourite teachers (and all
good ones) weren’t offended, but had enough humility to say, “Well, let’s look
at that…why do you think that? Where can we get more information?” They
taught as much about servanthood and critical thinking as the actual classroom
subjects, and those lessons have helped me identify the arrogant “weeds” that
choke out the life of anything good that I’m trying to nurture!
Read the Parable of the mustard seed: Matthew 13:31-35
What are other examples of something tiny growing into something
great? How is this encouraging to you? What is the significance of the
birds coming to nest in its branches? How does this affect my
worldview of people from other nations, and those around me?
Ezekiel 17:22-24 New Living Translation (NLT)
22 “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. 23 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. 24 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!”
Thoughts and Prompts:
• What do you notice about the shoot, the branches, the tree, and what God does with them?
• How have you seen God bring down tall trees in your life?
• Where have you seen him prune and replant and nurture a small plant?
• What makes it majestic? What are its purposes?
• Why does he mention the birds? Who are they in my life?
Eph. 4:26-28 In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you
are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 Anyone who has been
stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with
their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.
Roots are not the glamourous part of the tree, but they can be powerful, and
even destructive. I have roots growing under my driveway that are going to
cost us thousands of dollars before we can sell our house someday – so annoying! Who’s the genius who
planted these giant trees next to the driveway? Oh wait, those trees weren’t giant when they were planted!
• How are habits like that? Which ones do I need to address, asap?
• How can the ability of a root pushing through concrete be a picture of
something good – like perseverance, supernatural strength, etc?
• What are other examples of negative images that can be turned around
into inspiring or motivating images? How is my perspective affected?
Roots can tear things apart if they are too
confined, but they can’t always be allowed
to go where they want. Some are even
selfish! The roots of the Black Walnut are
poisonous to other trees and plants – don’t
try to grow a silver maple or lilacs or
blueberries nearby. Know any people like that? They’re fine around others who agree with them, but as soon
as they’re challenged, they get aggressive and attack whatever is encroaching on their soil. Sometimes it’s
wise to let them have their own little grove, if they’re still producing walnuts! Their lumber is valuable too, so
God may allow them to be cut down in due time. But if I’m not a walnut, God might be telling me to establish
some boundaries and plant myself at a distance!
Psalm 147:14 He grants peace to your borders and satisfies you with the finest of wheat.
Some roots are powerful enough to hold together an entire
hillside from collapsing in a landslide. Maybe it takes several
large trees, or hundreds of smaller plants, working together.
Having God’s Word in our hearts gives us something to hold
onto: the truth. And when circumstances threaten to wipe us
out in a landslide of emotion, our roots, deep in the grace of
God, will hold us together.
Ephesians 3:16-21 is one of my favourite passages. I generally
prefer the NASB version, but compare that to the Message,
NLT, or the more familiar NIV:
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you
with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy
people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that
surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is
able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Thoughts and Prompts:
• What are we rooted in? Describe it.
• How are we “established”? Who does this? What words are used in other versions?
• Often we like to use the “more than all we ask or imagine” section with our own definition in mind, of
what we think God will, or should, do.
How can this be misinterpreted?
• What other insights do you gain from
these analogies of riches, dwelling,
roots, and the vast measurements of
Christ’s love and power and fullness?
• Use the ACTS prayer model through this
scripture: How can I show my Adoration
for our awesome God? What do I need
to Confess? What am I Thankful for? As
I make my Supplications to God, how
does this passage shape my requests?
• What is one step, one change, that God
has brought to mind during my time
with Him? Write it down or tell
someone, to keep myself accountable.
Weathering the Storms
Is. 25:4 You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in their distress,
a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat.
For the breath of the ruthless is like a storm driving against a wall and like the heat of the desert.
The bible informs us of many forms of storms! Too much of anything in nature is bound to cause
pressure. Not to mention viruses and a cytokine storm! Some disasters arrive with brutal suddenness – but
most occur with warning signs, when certain conditions are met. Some hit you directly; others are worse in
their after-effects. In Ontario, I loved a good heart-thumping thunderstorm, or sitting in Jay’s car at the beach
on a summer night, watching the heat lightning or sheet lightning light up the sky across the vast Lake Huron
horizon. But your location in a storm makes a huge difference – safely inside or right in the eye of it.
Circumstances
Loss of loved ones
Financial issues
Stress
Health
Dealing with past sins or hurts
Relational struggles
Bad habits or addictions
Fear
Loss of career or purpose
Empty nest
Satan’s attacks
Here are a few types of storms we experience. What would you add to this list?
Hosea 8
“Put the trumpet to your lips! An eagle is over the house of the LORD because the people have broken my
covenant and rebelled against my law.
2 Israel cries out to me, ‘Our God, we acknowledge you!’
3 But Israel has rejected what is good; an enemy will pursue him.
4 They set up kings without my consent; they choose princes without my approval.
With their silver and gold they make idols for themselves to their own destruction.
5 Samaria, throw out your calf-idol! My anger burns against them.
How long will they be incapable of purity?
6 They are from Israel! This calf—a metalworker has made it;
it is not God. It will be broken in pieces, that calf of Samaria.
7 “They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind.
The stalk has no head; it will produce no flour.
Were it to yield grain, foreigners would swallow it up.
8 Israel is swallowed up; now she is among the nations like something no one wants.
Thoughts and prompts:
• Contrast Israel’s cries with God’s assessment.
• How did they set up kings “without God’s consent”? What does this tell you about His “allowed” will?
• How do we reconcile God’s sovereignty with His words about the princes He didn’t approve?
• What are their idols? And our culture’s? And mine? What does the “foreigners” line really mean?
• Where is it easier to see the destructive nature of idols – in others or ourselves? How do we become
more self-aware? Do I need help to throw out my idols? Can bible knowledge be an idol?
• God knows we are incapable of purity on our own – why does He sound so frustrated here?
• How have we sown the wind and reaped the whirlwind? How does it relate to the idols?
• How is the Spirit speaking to you in this stormy passage? What will you do about it?
Isaiah 5:5-7
Now I will tell you what I am going to do to my vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it will be destroyed;
I will break down its wall, and it will be trampled. 6 I will make it a wasteland, neither pruned nor cultivated, and briers and
thorns will grow there. I will command the clouds not to rain on it.” 7 The vineyard of the LORD Almighty is the nation of Israel, and the people of
Judah are the vines he delighted in. And he looked for justice, but saw
bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress.
Jeremiah 11:15-17 (NLT) 15 “What right do my beloved people have to come to my Temple, when they have done so many immoral
things? Can their vows and sacrifices prevent their destruction? They actually rejoice in doing evil! 16 I, the LORD, once called them a thriving olive tree, beautiful to see and full of good fruit.
But now I have sent the fury of their enemies to burn them with fire, leaving them charred and broken.
17 “I, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, who planted this olive tree, have ordered it destroyed. For the people of
Israel and Judah have done evil, arousing my anger by burning incense to Baal.”
both Israel and Judah have done evil and aroused my anger by burning incense to Baal.
Thoughts and Prompts:
• How comfortable is it to read about God’s wrath at the disobedience of His people? Do I avoid it?
• Do I ever underestimate God’s character traits, or overestimate His patience and mercy?
• Is there always a correlation between plagues or natural disasters and God’s punishment? What roles
do science and the laws of nature in a fallen Creation play? How can we judge? (or should we)?
I’m not much of a gardener, but when we put these boulders around our deck, I really wanted some pretty
vines trailing down between them. The “creeping Jenny” is lovely when it’s going the right direction, but I had
to do some serious pruning & ripping up of those insidious roots to keep it obedient to my will! It might argue,
“I’m doing what God designed me to do!” but I would answer, “yes, but you’re heading the wrong way – so
either put your roots down where I’m training you to go, or you’re going to come to a harsher end!”
• When have I felt sure that I was doing what I was designed to do? Was I right, or wrong, or just
misguided? Did I correct course, or ignore anyone telling me I had misinterpreted God’s direction?
• What examples can I think of in the bible where God used people for His purposes, after pruning them
or correcting their course? Did they stay on the right path? Try Jonah 2, or Nathan in 2 Samuel 7, or the
odd case of Balaam the prophet in Numbers 22, Deut. 23:3-6, 2 Peter 2:15, Jude 1:11 and Rev. 2:14
• What characteristics do they share? What can I learn from them? Humans are not infallible, like God,
and will never hear His words perfectly all the time. Who showed humility? Who found a way to
seduce God’s people into sin and profit from it, even after God “forced” him to speak blessings over
them? If we refuse to submit to God and admit when we’re wrong, is it easier or harder to humble
ourselves the next time? If someone tells me I misinterpreted something, or went about it the wrong
way, do I harden my heart and dig in my heels rather than confessing my error? How can I say I have
humility if I point out specks and ignore my “planks”? See Matt. 7:1-5
Leviticus 25:3-5 (NIV) For six years sow your fields, and for six years prune your vineyards and gather their crops. 4 But in the seventh year the land is to have a year of sabbath rest, a sabbath to the LORD. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards. 5 Do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the grapes of your untended vines. The land is to have a year of rest.
• Dig deeper: study sabbath rest, the jubilee year, fallow fields.
• How do we benefit? How can apply this during this current storm?
Weeds, Pests, and Manure: growing pains and progress in God’s garden
There are millions of plants, bushes, trees, fruit, vegetables and vegetation types! When we think of bible
passages about plants, we may think of olive trees, grapevines, figs, lilies, cedar trees. Some need daily
watering, some need full sun, some are fine in sand, some need richly fertilized soil. They’re almost as diverse
as the people on this planet. What do you require for optimal growth? Some elements will be similar (the
voids only God can fill), and others, totally different than your neighbor. Are you meeting those requirements?
You can have resources and people in your life who nourish you – and some who provide a lot of fertilizer! 😊
Micah 6:3-8 (NIV) “My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me.
4 I brought you up out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery.
I sent Moses to lead you, also Aaron and Miriam.
5 My people, remember what Balak king of Moab plotted, and what Balaam son of Beor answered.
Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of the LORD.”
6 With what shall I come before the LORD and bow down before the exalted God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?
7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of olive oil?
Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.
Thoughts and prompts:
• What kind of offerings were required in the old
covenant? What made them acceptable or not?
• How is the requirement of blood sacrifice met in the new covenant? What makes me acceptable?
• What does the Lord require of me, a mere mortal? What does that mean?
• If I think that I’m meeting all His requirements, how does humility become the most difficult of all?
Romans 12:3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than
you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has
distributed to each of you.
Psalm 1
Blessed is the one who does not walk
in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers, 2 but whose delight is in the law of the
LORD, and who meditates on his law
day and night. 3 That person is like a tree planted by
streams of water, which yields its fruit in
season and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers. 4 Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff that the wind blows away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. 6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.
Thoughts and prompts:
• How are we to interact with the wicked, the sinners, the mockers? Do any of those labels apply to me?
• What happens when I delight in God’s Word?
• How do I explain it when righteous people do not prosper, or when wicked people are not destroyed?
Job 8:11-21 “Can papyrus reeds grow tall without a marsh? Can marsh grass flourish without water? 12 While they are still flowering, not ready to be cut, they begin to wither more quickly than grass. 13 The same happens to all who forget God. The hopes of the godless evaporate. 14 Their confidence hangs by a thread. They are leaning on a spider’s web. 15 They cling to their home for security, but it won’t last. They try to hold it tight, but it will not endure. 16 The godless seem like a lush plant growing in the sunshine, its branches spreading across the garden. 17 Its roots grow down through a pile of stones;
it takes hold on a bed of rocks. 18 But when it is uprooted, it’s as though it never existed! 19 That’s the end of its life, and others spring up from
the earth to replace it. 20 “But look, God will not reject a person of integrity,
nor will he lend a hand to the wicked. 21 He will once again fill your mouth with laughter
and your lips with shouts of joy.
Sharing the Fruit John 15 (NLT)
“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the
gardener. 2 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. 3 You have already been pruned and purified by
the message I have given you. 4 Remain in me,
and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot
produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you
cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.
5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those
who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.
6 Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are
gathered into a pile to be burned. 7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for
anything you want, and it will be granted! 8 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This
brings great glory to my Father.
9 “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. 10 When you obey my commandments,
you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11 I have told you
these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! 12 This is my commandment: Love
each other in the same way I have loved you. 13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s
friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t
confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. 16 You didn’t
choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you
whatever you ask for, using my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other.”
Thoughts and prompts:
• What do you notice when you read and pray through this? What is at the core of Jesus’ desire for us?
• What does it mean when He says the useless branches that are not in Him will be thrown away? Jesus
doesn’t contradict Himself, so how does this line up with His other statements in John 6:47, 10:27-30.
Look at the context – is it positional (salvation) or relational (Christians bearing fruit or not). This could
be an entire study in itself, but just because we have eternal security doesn’t mean we will
automatically produce fruit! How do those who are “in Him” do this?
• What is the fruit for? Who is supposed to be glorified? Have I ever tried to produce fruit to show off my
knowledge, or look more spiritual than others, or receive admiration, or improve others’ perception of
myself, or feel better? Be honest. What kind of fruit is this? What does Jesus want, and deserve?
• How do we demonstrate our love for Jesus? For others? How and what have I sacrificed?
Hosea 14 The LORD says, “Then I will heal you of your faithlessness; my love will know no bounds, for my anger
will be gone forever. 5 I will be to Israel like a refreshing dew from heaven. Israel will blossom like the lily;
it will send roots deep into the soil like the cedars in Lebanon. 6 Its branches will spread out like beautiful olive trees,
as fragrant as the cedars of Lebanon. 7 My people will again live under my shade.
They will flourish like grain and blossom like grapevines.
They will be as fragrant as the wines of Lebanon.
8 “O Israel, stay away from idols! I am the one who answers your
prayers and cares for you.
I am like a tree that is always green; all your fruit comes from me.”
Lilies aren’t my favourite flower (remind me of funerals), and orange isn’t my favourite colour (makes me look
dead if I wear it). But I love the sight of bright orange tiger lilies at the side of a country road. One summer in
high school, Jay worked for the county, collecting water samples. One
day, he brought me a huge bouquet of tiger lilies he’d collected as he
drove around the dusty country roads – a romantic gesture I’ve come
to appreciate even more over the years than I did at the time! 😊
Flowers can be the necessary precursor to a juicy apple or cherry, or
they can be the fruit themselves, a beautiful testimony to their
Creator that brings joy to all who behold it.
The lily is a reminder Jesus uses in Matthew 6:27-29, “Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
28 “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or
make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are.”
Thoughts and prompts:
• What connotations do lilies or other plants have for me? What memories have I attached to them?
• What worries tend to sneak back into my heart? What new ones do I need to hand over to Him?
• In the Hosea passage above, what does God heal us of? What does He promise and offer?
• Where will His people flourish? Where does our fruit come from?
• What is the significance of fragrance? What other passages can you find about fragrant offerings? There’s a little romance in the bible too, using some interesting analogies in the Song of Solomon 2:1-3 (NLT) Young Woman: I am the spring crocus blooming on the Sharon Plain, the lily of the valley. Young Man: Like a lily among thistles is my darling among young women.
Young Woman: Like the finest apple tree in the orchard is my lover among other young
men. I sit in his delightful shade and taste his delicious fruit.
And just for fun on this topic, do you know what a caperberry is? Look at Eccl 12 (NLT) “Don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old and say, “Life is not pleasant anymore.” 2 Remember him before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is dim to your old eyes, and rain clouds continually darken your sky. 3 Remember him before your legs—the guards of your house—start to tremble; and before your shoulders—the strong men—stoop. Remember him before your teeth—your few remaining servants—stop grinding; and before your eyes—the women looking through the windows—see dimly. 4 Remember him before the door to life’s opportunities is closed and the sound of work fades. Now you rise at the first chirping of the birds, but then all their sounds will grow faint. 5 Remember him before you become fearful of falling and worry about danger in the streets; before your hair turns white like an almond tree in bloom, and you drag along without energy like a dying grasshopper, and the caperberry no longer inspires sexual desire. Remember him before you near the grave, your everlasting home, when the mourners will weep at your funeral. 6 Yes, remember your Creator now while you are young, before the silver cord of life snaps and the golden bowl
is broken. Don’t wait until the water jar is smashed at the spring and the pulley is broken at the well. 7 For then
the dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.”
This is all in the bible! I’m not sure I’ve felt like a dying grasshopper – maybe that’s
because I like capers?! 😊 According to biblestudytools.com, “the caperberry is the
fruit of the thorny caper, Capparis spinosa (Natural Order Capparidaceae), a common
Palestine plant with pretty white flowers and brightly colored stamens. Largely on
account of its habit of growing out of crevasses in old walls it has been identified by
some with the Hyssop. The familiar "capers" of commerce are the young buds, but the berries were the parts
most used in ancient times; their repute as excitants of sexual desire is ancient and widespread. Various parts
of this plant are still used for medical purposes by the modern peasants of Palestine.”
And speaking of hyssop, it is one of the plants that grows on the
Western wall in Jerusalem, as king Solomon described in 1 Kings 4:33.
Hyssop was used in ceremonial cleansing, prominent in the Passover
(Ex. 12:22) and red heifer sacrifice (Numbers 19) and Psalm 51:7 as
David confesses his sin and asks God for mercy: “Cleanse me with
hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.”
Thoughts and prompts:
• There are entire books written about the biblical passages focused on God’s gift of sexual pleasure –
what’s my reaction when I read these verses? Do I know more of the “do’s” or “don’ts” in the bible?
• What kind of relationship is described in the Song of Solomon passage? How is this intimacy a picture
of the depth of love Christ has for His bride, the church?
• How do the “remember” commands affect you? Can you think of a nicer way to write them?
• Whether we’re married, single, or widowed, how can we mentor, encourage, or strengthen the
relationships in our spheres of influence? Is it something you avoid discussing? What do you wish
others had told or taught you? How can you get past your discomfort/ insecurity/ jealousy/ other
hindrances to help your sisters on these types of topics?
• How have I needed to ask for cleansing – maybe not with hyssop, but from sin and other “dirt”?
• I’m pretty sure my water jar isn’t smashed, and my pulley isn’t broken at the well – how do I remember
my Creator before these things happen? What if my hair is already like an almond tree in bloom?
Almonds are among the best gifts that Jacob sent to Joseph (before he
knew it was his son in charge of Egypt). In Numbers 17, Aaron’s staff
grows leaves & almonds overnight – a miraculous sign that the Levites
would be the tribe of priests. It was a great honour, but a huge
responsibility to keep people from offending God, from being unclean,
and to speak the Lord’s words and not their own. They didn’t get land
like the other tribes, but would receive tithes from the others. God says,
“I am your share and allotment” (Num. 18:20). And they were to tithe on the tithe – giving the best to the
Lord. And not to treat the gifts from the tribes as common, or else they would die. The offering to the Lord
included the best olive oil, grain, wine, and any other harvest that the Lord had blessed them with. He blessed
the land so it would bless their families and communities, and so they could bless Him with the first and best.
Thoughts and prompts:
• Have I experienced “signs” of God’s favour or direction? Are we to seek them, or test God? Why?
• What responsibilities have I been given? Do I see them as privileges or chores?
• What consequences are there if I mislead someone, or fail to confess my mistakes?
• How do I give God my first and best? Is this a formula for all believers? Where is the balance between
applying a principle, sharing what I’ve learned, and still acknowledging that our offerings are different?
• Ask the Spirit to show you where you can learn from old covenant practices, and where the new
covenant gives grace to cover these requirements. Dig deeper into these topics – they are rich!
There are so many types of fruit referenced in the bible, and so many more that
God created all over our beautiful earth. Some flourish in tropical climates (like
mangoes), some do surprisingly well during drought (like watermelons!), and
thankfully some are hardy enough to endure the frost and cold of northern
lattitudes (like Washington apples). Each has a purpose, and some have multiples
uses and applications. The flax plant, for example, is not just a beautiful blue flower,
but its fruit is used to make linen, sailcloths, wicks, shrouds, and measuring lines (the word line & linear come
from Linum usitatissimum – meaning “most useful”) – and on top of that, linen is symbolic of personal
holiness. The priest wearing a linen ephod was considered righteous enough to approach God. (Ex. 28:6-8)
The fruit of the Spirit might be a familiar passage to you (are you already
reciting, “love, joy, peace, patience…”?) As we discussed in our bible study
group, these qualities build on each other, work in progression with each
other, and are all, together, the beautiful evidence of Christ within us. Read
all of Galatians 5 – here in The Message, or in your own translation. It
begins with a stirring statement about the freedom that Jesus’ sacrifice has
purchased for us, in the face of those who wanted to cling to the traditions of circumcision and Jewish
requirements. Paul’s passion against legalism is one I’ve adopted in my adult life, after experiencing its
hazards in my formative years. Others may benefit from stricter versions of Christian disciplines, especially if
you didn’t experience this special kind of “Christian-ish” bondage - but it’s dangerous to try to speak for the
Holy Spirit. Every once in a while, Satan tries to “trigger” me if I hear someone with a false piety insinuating
that their practice (or abstinence) is more spiritual or superior to others! It’s so tempting to think there’s a
formula. I’m sure a few of you can relate, so I won’t list all the shallow ways that humans attempt to make
themselves feel better by putting others down. If God has truly given you instructions or restrictions, then you
follow them diligently. That’s a protective fence He is helping you build
around the garden of your life. Show, don’t just talk about, the fruit of the
Spirit that has resulted from your boundaries. But check that your own
ideas or need for significance aren’t putting words in His mouth for others.
He isn’t giving you fence materials for you to go and build exactly the same
thing around your neighbour’s garden! 😊 Let’s look at what should be
growing in our garden as we take in Galatians 5:
“Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery
on you. 2-3 I am emphatic about this. The moment any one of you submits to circumcision or any other rule-
keeping system, at that same moment Christ’s hard-won gift of freedom is squandered. I repeat my warning:
The person who accepts the ways of circumcision trades all the advantages of the free life in Christ for the
obligations of the slave life of the law.
4-6 I suspect you would never intend this, but this is what happens. When
you attempt to live by your own religious plans and projects, you are
cut off from Christ, you fall out of grace. Meanwhile we expectantly
wait for a satisfying relationship with the Spirit. For in Christ, neither
our most conscientious religion nor disregard of religion amounts to
anything. What matters is something far more interior: faith expressed
in love.
7-10 You were running superbly! Who cut in on you, deflecting you from the true course of obedience? This
detour doesn’t come from the One who called you into the race in the first place. And please don’t toss this off
as insignificant. It only takes a minute amount of yeast, you know, to permeate an entire loaf of bread. Deep
down, the Master has given me confidence that you will not defect. But the one who is upsetting you,
whoever he is, will bear the divine judgment.
11-12 As for the rumor that I continue to preach the ways of
circumcision (as I did in those pre-Damascus Road days), that is
absurd. Why would I still be persecuted, then? If I were preaching
that old message, no one would be offended if I mentioned the
Cross now and then—it would be so watered-down it wouldn’t
matter one way or the other. Why don’t these agitators, obsessive
as they are about circumcision, go all the way and castrate
themselves!
13-15 It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don’t use this freedom
as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one
another in love; that’s how freedom grows. For everything we know about God’s Word is summed up in a
single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That’s an act of true freedom. If you bite and ravage each
other, watch out—in no time at all you will be annihilating each other, and where will your precious
freedom be then?
16-18 My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit. Then you won’t feed the
compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just
as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that you cannot
live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day. Why don’t you
choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions of a law-dominated existence?
19-21 It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless,
cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for