The Gardener Who Revives the Withered
“One thing I ask from the Lord,
this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
and to seek Him in His temple.”
— Psalm 27:4 (NIV)
God has a quiet way of calling us back into His fold — often through the very passions and interests He planted in us long ago. My love for poems and storybooks led me to pursue Honours in English and even begin writing prose and poetry through my blog. Though the blog has been silent since 2021, I feel that this is His gentle invitation back to the parts of myself He never intended me to abandon, and perhaps a way for me to fulfil my role as His child by reaching even a single soul through these words.
It is often said that before stepping into the unknown, we hesitate in fear of what awaits us. Yet once we cross that threshold, we find ourselves gasping for air — overwhelmed at first — until slowly we adapt, learn to survive, and eventually begin to thrive within it. Sin works much the same way: what was once unsettling and frightening to us gradually becomes familiar, comfortable, and dangerously easy to live in.
The Rose of Jericho
While mindlessly scrolling through reels, wrestling with doubt and wondering whether I was even capable of writing for His purpose, I came across the fascinating life of a plant called the Rose of Jericho — often referred to as the “resurrection plant.” What makes it remarkable is its ability to shrivel up and appear completely dead for years, only to spring back to life when given the right care and nourishment.
At times, we convince ourselves that we are beyond redemption — too far gone, too broken, too distant from the reach of His grace. We forget that even a soul left spiritually shrivelled and dry is not beyond saving; it simply longs for the right nourishment, found only in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. We need only trust in His gardening skills.
Noah’s Faith
Noah’s trust in God is astounding. The instructions God gave for the Ark were incredibly precise — from the type of wood to use, to the number of decks, to the materials needed to seal it. The details were so meticulous that one could almost draw up its blueprint even today.
Yet amid all those specifications, one important thing was missing: a wheel to steer the Ark. There is no mention of a helm, no sail, no compass — nothing that would allow Noah to direct its course. For forty days and forty nights, the Ark drifted entirely under God’s guidance, and Noah never once doubted the faithfulness of the One steering him through the storm.
Yet so often, we overlook God’s competence as the Captain of our lives. Through storm-filled nights, heavy rains, and even days with calm, clear skies, we ought to trust that He is just as faithful in the chaos as He is in the stillness. All He asks of us is belief.
Live Your Life Through Him
My father would often joke that we Tangkhuls are especially close to the Lord because perhaps we are the only tribe blessed with the privilege of calling Him “Ishamei Proho Jesu Christa” — a name that carries both reverence and intimacy, as though Jesus Christ Himself belongs among our people and within our home.
But the intimacy we have with Him does not give us the privilege of becoming casual in our relationship with Him. Yes, we are precious in His sight and deeply loved; however, it also remains true that we are the ones in need of mercy. It is we who stand in need of Him, we who needed saving, and we who continue to depend upon His grace every single day.
I am in no position to tell others how to live as true disciples or how to follow His teachings diligently . However, I believe that striving to live according to His will, trusting in Him, and allowing the small godly transformations within us to be reflected in our lives is one of the many ways we can reveal God’s grace to those around us.
