Jezreel

The night I was sent to paint at our local coffee shop a young man came in wearing a black T-shirt with a green tree on the front, a scripture reference and the name, Jezreel.  I commented to him about the similarity of his shirt to my painting and he replied, “A planting of the Lord.”  In my amazement, I told him those were the very words I had been given to paint that night.  His face lit up and he told me about Jezreel being a lush place of habitation in Israel that still exists today and is described in Hosea 2:22.  I looked it up and found that it is a place where God’s people had fallen away from Him—but in mercy He restored them to Himself.  He comforted them and gave them vineyards for fruitfulness in life and an opportunity to hope in Him once again.  He told them He would redeem their troubles.  He even promised to be their Husband in righteousness, justice, loving kindness, and faithfulness. The promises He made to them are the same promises He makes to us.  Like Jezreel -- which means “God sows” -- we are a “planting of the Lord” called to be fertile in a barren place, a light in the darkness and life where there is death -- to radiate His glory and His goodness, to minister His healing power, His deliverance, and His message of hope.  The leaves on this tree represent that we are letters from God written for the world to read and everywhere we go we have the opportunity to “leave” something of Him.  It is time for that which has been suppressed in us or buried like a seed without water in a hard, dry ground to be released and become fruitful.  His glorious seed in each of us has been crying out for this and God is responding with the same message He gave to Hosea to prophesy to His people so long ago.

“It shall come to pass in that day that I will answer," says the Lord; "I will answer the heavens, and they shall answer the earth.  The earth shall answer with grain, with new wine, and with oil; they shall answer Jezreel.  Then I will sow her for Myself in the earth, and I will have mercy on her who had not obtained mercy; then I will say to those who were not My people, You are My people!  And they shall say, ‘You are my God’”  (Hosea 2:21-23 NKJV)!

And we shall become like Jezreel, a planting of the Lord releasing His glory -- “Christ in you, the hope of glory” -- in a dark place.  (Colossians 1:27 NKJV) 

DO YOU KNOW HOW VALUABLE YOU ARE?

By, Ginger E. Mosher

www.GEMgallery.org

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