He Didn’t Promise A Rose Garden

When I was young and wounded and had no one to turn to, I joined the United States Marine Corps where the recruiting motto was “The Few The Proud”. Little did I know that the true motto was “We Didn’t Promise You A Rose Garden”. I knew very little about God at this point in my life, but it took less than 24 hours for me to be calling on Him in a time of desperation and need. This was a very humbling experience to me to be awakened in the pre-dawn hours of the first morning in boot camp at Parris Island.

As I think back some 45 years ago in my life how fitting an analogy of what the Christian faces in their walk.
• Mt. 7:13-14 tells us of the narrow gate and there be few that find it.
• I would come to learn throughout my walk that God hates the pride in man (Pr. 8:13) and will put a fear like only one who has truly felt it can just barely describe its power on one’s soul.
• Heb. 12:6 Teaches us “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth”. But then in 1 Pet. 5:10 He teaches “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you”. This rose garden has thorns that will perfect one’s life.

Christian, young or seasoned will learn Him and as you grow in His grace you will begin to connect the dots that allows you a sweet spirit of communion with Him. Until then fight the good fight. The key thing to remember is to seek Him daily and to examine yourself to see if you are truly His as I wouldn’t find out for many years after what I thought was my conversion when I walked an aisle and said a few words. A tree is known by its fruit!  Amen

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