Crepe myrtles are the super-plant of Florida summers. Despite the heat, they bloom and seem to thrive, while everything else wilts and often dies. The garden is over by the first of July, and the flower bed is far past its prime, but those crepe myrtles just keep on going, looking better than ever.
We had been looking for crepe myrtles for awhile, the bush variety, not the trees. Nathan and Brooke gave us some shoots that had come up around theirs and we gratefully planted them, and kept on looking for those bushes. I am still not sure there is actually a difference in the plant, as one article I read said, or if it is all about how it is pruned, but after five or six years we still hadn’t found what we wanted, and that fall noticed the seed pods on our transplants. We looked at each other and said, “Well, I’ve never heard of doing it before, but why not plant those seeds in some nursery pots?”
We did, and guess what? In spite of the fact that we had never heard of doing it before, they grew! This past spring we transplanted 8 one foot high crepe myrtles from that nursery pot experiment, all of which are blooming just fine in the Florida summer.
Haven’t you heard it? Someone comes up with an idea for spreading the gospel—one that is not beyond the bounds of God’s authority—but someone else pipes up, “I never heard of doing that before,” and expects that to be the end of the discussion. In fact it often is, especially when prefaced by “Why, I’ve been a Christian for forty years...” I wonder how many things would never have been done if everyone had that notion?
And the king made from the algum wood supports for the house of the LORD and for the king's house, lyres also and harps for the singers. There never was seen the like of them before in the land of Judah, 2 Chronicles 9:11
The throne had six steps, and at the back of the throne was a calf's head, and on each side of the seat were armrests and two lions standing beside the armrests, while twelve lions stood there, one on each end of a step on the six steps. The like of it was never made in any kingdom, 1Kgs 10:20.
And because of all your abominations I will do with you what I have never yet done, and the like of which I will never do again. Ezekiel 5:9.
He has confirmed his words, which he spoke against us and against our rulers who ruled us, by bringing upon us a great calamity. For under the whole heaven there has not been done anything like what has been done against Jerusalem, Daniel 9:12.
God didn’t seem to have any trouble accepting Solomon’s unique adornments for his throne and for the Temple. He wasn’t above using punishments the like of which no one had ever seen before. He certainly didn’t mind confounding the world by sacrificing His Son for our sins. Aren’t you glad?
We might be in bad company if “I’ve never heard of doing that before” becomes the source of authority for our actions.
As they were going away, behold, a demon-oppressed man who was mute was brought to him. And when the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds marveled, saying, "Never was anything like this seen in Israel." But the Pharisees said, "He casts out demons by the prince of demons," Matthew 9:32-34.
Jesus didn’t fit their preconceived notions so they accused Him of consorting with the Devil. I’ve heard Christians come close when someone suggested something new to reach the lost, especially if it cost any money.
God tells us every word and action should be by His authority, not by whether we’ve heard of it or not. I wouldn’t have any crepe myrtles if we had followed that dictum—and none of us would have a hope of salvation.
For from of old men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen a God besides thee, who works for him that waits for him, Isaiah 64:4.
Dene Ward
We had been looking for crepe myrtles for awhile, the bush variety, not the trees. Nathan and Brooke gave us some shoots that had come up around theirs and we gratefully planted them, and kept on looking for those bushes. I am still not sure there is actually a difference in the plant, as one article I read said, or if it is all about how it is pruned, but after five or six years we still hadn’t found what we wanted, and that fall noticed the seed pods on our transplants. We looked at each other and said, “Well, I’ve never heard of doing it before, but why not plant those seeds in some nursery pots?”
We did, and guess what? In spite of the fact that we had never heard of doing it before, they grew! This past spring we transplanted 8 one foot high crepe myrtles from that nursery pot experiment, all of which are blooming just fine in the Florida summer.
Haven’t you heard it? Someone comes up with an idea for spreading the gospel—one that is not beyond the bounds of God’s authority—but someone else pipes up, “I never heard of doing that before,” and expects that to be the end of the discussion. In fact it often is, especially when prefaced by “Why, I’ve been a Christian for forty years...” I wonder how many things would never have been done if everyone had that notion?
And the king made from the algum wood supports for the house of the LORD and for the king's house, lyres also and harps for the singers. There never was seen the like of them before in the land of Judah, 2 Chronicles 9:11
The throne had six steps, and at the back of the throne was a calf's head, and on each side of the seat were armrests and two lions standing beside the armrests, while twelve lions stood there, one on each end of a step on the six steps. The like of it was never made in any kingdom, 1Kgs 10:20.
And because of all your abominations I will do with you what I have never yet done, and the like of which I will never do again. Ezekiel 5:9.
He has confirmed his words, which he spoke against us and against our rulers who ruled us, by bringing upon us a great calamity. For under the whole heaven there has not been done anything like what has been done against Jerusalem, Daniel 9:12.
God didn’t seem to have any trouble accepting Solomon’s unique adornments for his throne and for the Temple. He wasn’t above using punishments the like of which no one had ever seen before. He certainly didn’t mind confounding the world by sacrificing His Son for our sins. Aren’t you glad?
We might be in bad company if “I’ve never heard of doing that before” becomes the source of authority for our actions.
As they were going away, behold, a demon-oppressed man who was mute was brought to him. And when the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds marveled, saying, "Never was anything like this seen in Israel." But the Pharisees said, "He casts out demons by the prince of demons," Matthew 9:32-34.
Jesus didn’t fit their preconceived notions so they accused Him of consorting with the Devil. I’ve heard Christians come close when someone suggested something new to reach the lost, especially if it cost any money.
God tells us every word and action should be by His authority, not by whether we’ve heard of it or not. I wouldn’t have any crepe myrtles if we had followed that dictum—and none of us would have a hope of salvation.
For from of old men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen a God besides thee, who works for him that waits for him, Isaiah 64:4.
Dene Ward
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