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Jesus the Carpenter or Landscaper?
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November 17, 2022This issue has been unresolved for me despite several doctor visits and many new medication prescriptions. I’ve had literally no control of this recovery cycle. Day on end---the symptoms persist and prevented me from doing anything productive. I’ve had to sit in this discomfort and it’s literally kept me on my knees. In all of my adult life I don’t recall being this sick—ever.
Perhaps the Divine healer found a way to get my attention through the landscaper.
I seem to have had a breakthrough overnight. I’m not 100 % well, but the persistent cough and pain has definitely diminished.
I think the ‘pruning’ the landscaper intended to do might have had nothing to do with my property? When he took my hand at the door—that moment was divinely ordered. I was concerned to hold his hand because I did not want to share this illness with him. He did not seem to be too concerned. He shared that he had just returned from a mission trip to Africa for two weeks and that he felt called to support me in prayer.
One of the benefits of being sick is that I had more time to read and pray. One of the highlights of my experiences was finishing a book by John Kipplinger, "The Cup and the Waterfall". The author encourages us to stay empty so that the grace of God can flow into our hearts, souls and minds for healing us. "Faith has to do with inner healing as well as outer healing. It has to do with surrendering ourselves to the will of God." (pg. 60).
Meeting this special man really impacted my life because he allowed himself to be a conduit of grace. He stepped out in faith and allowed the grace of God to heal me so that I would then recognize His power in myself to do that for others in my path. He lived out the notion of "building up the kingdom of heaven on earth".
I know Jesus grew up as a carpenter under the tutelage of St. Joseph, but today I feel He's more of a landscaper--not building me up, but pruning. As Luke reminds us in scripture " I am the true vine and My Father is the keeper of the vineyard. He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit." I am so grateful today for my landscaper, both here on earth and in heaven.
