Zechariah 12:1 “The burden of the word of the LORD concerning Israel. Thus declares the LORD who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him,”

I have a Bonsai tree that I take care of. This tree requires much attention for it to live and survive, unlike normal houseplants, not only do I have to water it, I also need to use the correct fertilizer. Every couple years, this plant needs to be removed from its current pot and moved to a larger pot (for the first decade or so) and re-soiled. I need to trim the tree every couple of months, at the correct time of the tree’s development. The biggest thing about Bonsai Trees however is that I need to form each branch how I want it to go. This means that I wrap wire around the branches at the correct points and apply a certain pressure to ensure that the branch slowly moves to where I want it to go, but I can not let the tree grow into the wire.

A couple weeks ago, I made an error. I left the Bonsai alone, without attention. After all I had removed the last of the forming wires for that side, and was waiting another branch’s development to wire it. I however, had left the Bonsai next to my drying rack for my dishes, and sometime prior to that the tree had been moved close enough to a mug in next to the drying rack that the mug applied a force to one side of my tree and reformed the branches into a cup shaped indentation. Because I only water my Bonsai once a week, I did not catch the movement and reforming of the branches. When I realized that my tree was malformed, I now have to start forming those branches, and it will be harder now than it was earlier because these branches are set in their way.

To fix this tree I am going to have to apply a harder force than previously to the branches and I am going to need to prune more than I wanted to. I am going to need to apply a lot of pressure and use more wire. In the process the tree is going to ache and groan and creak as the branches are forced to move where I want them to be.

God made everything. He created the Universe and he made the Earth. But the greatest work that God does is to form the very inside of men should we allow it. Unlike me, God - the Almighty Gardener, the great potter, the very creator of man - always pays attention to everything we do, but He will only work in us when we allow Him. God forms and shapes the very core of our nature to conform to Him. Much like I have a predetermined shape for my tree, God has a pre-determined shape for our lives, our soul, our spirit. God’s shape for us is that of Christ Jesus (Phil 2:5). The God who made this universe and all its wonders cares more about us than about anything else. Do we conform to the world as my tree did to the cup? Should we not allow God to conform us to Him and His holy son?

Remember that it is God who is at work in us, For His glory and good pleasure. (Phil 2:13)

Take my heart and form it
Take my mind , transform it
Take my will , conform it
To Yours, to Yours, Oh Lord.
To Yours, to Yours, Oh Lord.