Spiritual Growth by Dependence and Pruning
E. Aubrey. Hosea 14:5-7 I will be as the dew to Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.… I. IT IS GROWTH BY DEPENDENCE UPON SUPERIOR STRENGTH. While all the trees and plants of forest, field, and garden in many ways evince their dependence, in none, perhaps, except the ivy and its class, is it manifested more openly than in the vine. Growth by clinging to superior strength seems to be the primary lesson that it teaches. "The Lord was my stay," says David. "Who is among you that feareth the Lord let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God." It is no dishonour to our devout character, no disgrace to our virtues, no disparagement of our powers to acknowledge our utter dependence upon God, and to exhibit it. "Hold Thou me up, and I shall be safe." It was no empty platitude, or mere figure of speech, that exhortation of Barnabas's to the brethren in the Church at Antioch: "That with full purpose of heart they should cleave unto the Lord." Clinging to the Lord is not only weakness laying hold of strength, but life gathering force and finding support to expand and grow and be fruitful. This is not merely a wise policy, but an absolute necessity. II. GROWING IN AN ELEVATED SITUATION. We are told that "the elevation of the hills and tablelands of Judah is the true climate of the vine." This natural fact suggests a parallel in Christian history and experience. The souls that have dwelt in the heights of God, above the world in their desires, affections, and aims, standing on an elevated platform in the principles that they have ever acted upon, and the methods which they have adopted, have ever proved the most fruitful, and the product of their life most wholesome and rich. As the vine is indigenous to an elevated position, and grows best there, so our souls are indigenous to a higher mode of life than the worldly, and meant in that higher position to breathe a holier and purer atmosphere, and grow best in our native soil, which is God and the Divine. III. THAT OUR SPIRITUAL GROWTH IS PROMOTED BY NECESSARY PURGING AND PRUNING. To grow is one thing; to grow pure, strong, healthy, and fruitful is another thing. And the latter is ensured by the wise arrangement that ordains a measure of trial and sorrow and suffering. To grow as the vine is to grow to the sharp, necessary touch of the pruning knife as it lops off the superfluous, and as it bleeds by skilful incisions to draw off the infected sap, which being allowed to remain would work destruction. Conscious as we are of the presence in our spirits of much that is injuriously superfluous, it is a loving hand that in affliction comes to purge, since it makes the zeal stronger and the soul holier. "It was good for me that I was afflicted," is a confession that has often been. endorsed. Is it not a privilege to be helped to grow strong and healthy? Is it not a favour to be assisted to greater purity and more abundant fruitfulness? IV. IN WHICH FRUITFULNESS IS ITS PURPOSED END. The vine that grows to a purpose, being advantageously situated, carefully and skilfully tended and trimmed is the one that repays the attention bestowed upon it with rich clusters of luscious fruit. And it is this that explains the attention. "That ye may abound in every good work" is the key that unlocks the mysteries of our life, and explains the trying dispensations through which the believing soul is made to pass. (E. Aubrey.) Parallel Verses KJV: I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. WEB: I will be like the dew to Israel. He will blossom like the lily, and send down his roots like Lebanon.