ILLUMINATION: The fruit of prolonged consecration!

"Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ. And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ."

1 Corinthians 2:12-3:1

One Fall we planted bulbs … Daffodils, Narcissus, Tulips! They had to be planted in the Fall in order for them to bloom in the Spring … they remained hidden until March and April.

Planting bulbs in Southern California isn’t like planting bulbs in the Northeastern United States. Bulbs, if expected to bloom as desired, require a freeze or at least several days of a very cold weather. We don’t have many cold days in Southern California, let alone freezes. Many of our precious bulbs didn’t bloom.

It’s certainly true that many things of God are hidden for a season, like bulbs, only to be revealed at the proper time. His hidden things, like bulbs, don’t bloom in their planting season, rather, like bulbs, they bloom in due time.

Notice also the bulbs the gardener plants bloom where they are planted, they do not bloom where not planted.

God provides illumination for His people. But the gift does not come unwrapped. In fact a great deal of quiet energy must be spent in order to acquire the illumination offered. As was said by another, “Illumination sprouts from the soil of prolonged consecration.”

Jehovah has been planting His hidden things since the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. Many have bloomed and provided His creation with glorious bouquets. Others have not bloomed; not because their time hasn’t come, but rather because they were not acquainted with the difficulties of a hard winter.

Christianity, Illumination,
Illustrations, Religion