Springtime of Passionate Love

Did you know that if you are in Christ,
If you have said,"Yes" to Jesus,
That you are planted in the valley streams where the orchards of the King grow and mature?

The valley beds that are next to the river or stream are rich in nutrients.
They prosper from the nourishment of abundant sunshine and water.
The Lord has planted you here friend, in this valley stream,
So you could grow, prosper, and mature.

To our eyes,
This does not appear to be a place of growth,
Here in the valley.
The mountain top seems more preferable.
Here in the valley,
Life can be harsh, hard, difficult, painful...
But the Lord has planted you here with purpose.

It is those hard times friend,
That turn us to the stream,
For nourishment, for help, for answers, for refreshment.
This stream has life in it,
Because it flows from the throne room of God Almighty!
It is the river of His perfect love.

We can have as much of this stream, this river as we like.
We can wade in it a little, duck our heads in once and awhile...
Or we can swim in this river of His perfect love.
He gives it to us freely, willingly,
Offering it to us in our every need.

Yes, friend,
It is the rough times that turn us to Him, the stream, the nourishment, the Help,
It is the hard times that keep us hungry, keep us thirsty,
It is the hard times that allow us to see our need.

When we enter,
He does all the work,
Pursing, forgiving, washing, transforming, renewing, beautifying...
Yes, He comes and lifts those branches up into the embrace of the Father's heart,
And new growth appears as His love is absorbed.

The blooming of springtime comes
When I receive His passionate love,
And life becomes Him and me...
Not just me.