A Broken Plant Made Me Weep (Realizing God’s Grace)

It was not the brokenness which made me weep, but the grace shown to me through something as simple as a plant.

Raising plants from seeds isn’t easy. And then there’s a whole process of what to do once they start growing, and how to prepare soil. Good soil leads to healthy plants, good root system, and a great harvest.

Cucumbers are one of my favorite vegetables to grow. This year, I’ve been a little destructive. In attempting to prune one of my plants, which was already fairly small, I… well, accidentally cut the entire seedling off the stem.

I was devastated, not enough to weep, but nonetheless devastated. This was a seed I’ve grown since April, and it’s been growing for over a month and a half. However, I had read that you could attempt to grow new roots in just water. But the process would take several weeks.

So, what did I have to lose? I found a small lid and draped the cucumber seedling into the water, without damaging the leaves. Very slowly, I saw the cucumber continue to grow from the top, but nothing from the bottom. About 2 or so weeks went by, and nothing. Finally, just a few days ago, I decided to put 2 pellets of food used for tomatoes and other vegetables in the water.

Boy, was I shocked! Within 2 days, I saw 2 roots! On Saturday, June 4th, the plant had about 1/4 of an inch of one root!! But the day I write this, Sunday, June 5th, the plant almost has an inch long root and multiple roots!

It was not the actual plant that made me weep, but what I suddenly realized. Maybe you will not be affected the way I was, but I hope you are ministered to by this thought.

I wept. Why?

Because the Creator of the plant. This plant that is broken and should die with just a little water and given the right food can grow again. Perhaps, even better. The same Creator, with the same brilliant mind for this one plant, He thought to make me.

Brokenness is illustrated to me through the plant. There might be something shattering in my life. Crippling me. Trying to kill me. Kill off every support I once had. Making me completely relient on the Hand of the Creator.

Yet, these beautiful roots…

Growth can happen even without roots, but without roots to ground and feed the plant, the plant will still die on its own. But how much more growth will occur when new roots are established?

These new roots remind me of Christ, and how we must truly be entirely dependent upon Him to know He is our Rock.

And I admit, it’s rare, if ever, I’ve been entirely dependent upon Him.

How cherished we are in this brokenness by our Creator and how wretched we are when our roots get broken, even when the brokenness is for our good. I am ashamed of doubting His brillant mind and thinking my mind and emotions are superior. I fail to think less of myself and more of Jesus.

What grace the Lord shows me every second, to be part of His plan, to have the Creator involved in my life, that He cares! He truly cares!

So, yes, today I wept over a broken plant because it’s not broken, like it once was.

If I am plucked out of what I am comfortable with, I have the hope God can grow new roots in me. I have the hope, perhaps, there is some pruning that needs done in my life and what God does is for His glory and my own good.

(ESV) John 7:37-38, “On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”

(ESV) John 6:51, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

(ESV) John 6:35, “Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”

(ESV) Psalm 139:14, “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.”

The Gospel Message: With the Good News means there’s bad news. We all are sinners and condemned. We all deserve the just punishment of God’s wrath. Christianity is unlike any other religion because we cannot earn our way into Heaven. God saw the weakness of man and his utter depravity. Yet, He showed us grace. Jesus, God, One Person of the Trinity, became God in the flesh, the God-Man. He was always perfect and sinless. And His humanity was perfected on the cross, living the full sinless life. He became our atonement sacrifice. Dying in our place, taking on the wrath of God upon Himself. He died on the cross, and He was resurrected because death could not hold Him. Jesus is the answer. We, as guilty sinners, need His blood to pay off our debt of sin. For all who put their faith in Him – meaning eyes are opened to the Gospel, we see ourselves as a sinner, we see the need for Christ, we desire our Savior, and we see the ugliness of our sin. Putting our faith in Jesus, we seek HIs forgiveness and repent from our sins, we turn away from our old way of life. We, through the work of the Holy Spirit, continue to become convicted of sin daily. Our eyes will never be the same again. We see things in a different light, and the truth of Christ affects how we live and serve Him. Christ tells us to count the cost. Salvation is a serious topic, it is not to be taken lightly. For a breakdown of this powerful message, understanding how Christ could be God and Man, why God required sacrifices, and more -please see: Why Did A Loving God Kill His Son? (Does God Hate?)

If you think you know the Gospel, check out these questions and see how prepared you are for the day someone might ask you why you believe: The Gospel Challenge (30 Question Quiz) – Are You Ready To Defend Your Faith?