365 Days of the Great Names of God, Day 323: Grower

Grower

"So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building." (1 Corinthians 3:7-9 NIV)

"I've grown so much with God."

I've said this before and have been thankful to be able to say it. I've heard others say it and have been thankful they've been able to as well. 

I was thinking a little more in-depth about what we mean when we say that we have "grown with God"—in our faith, in our relationship with him. I thought about what plants do when they grow. (Admittedly, my thinking here was hindered by the fact that gardening is not my area of giftedness.) 

When we say that we have grown with God, I think we mean that we have gained. We have gained strength, depth, deeper roots, more understanding.

I think that when we say we have grown with God, we mean that we reflect the care, skill, nurturing, and creativity of our keeper, the Master Gardener.

I think that when we have grown with God, we offer something to others. Beauty, maybe, as flowers that have grown do, or sustenance, as vegetables that have grown do. Our growth does not only benefit us. 

When we have grown with God, we can withstand the winds and the rain, the storms, some of the rough weather of life—bending, maybe, but not breaking.

And I think that when we have grown with God, we still need to be nurtured and fed. We still need to be connected to the source of our life. We still need to be attached to the Grower.

"I have grown with God."

I'm thankful to be able to say this. But even more than that, I want to be able to say something else and have it be true: I am growing with God.