Blackberries by J. Bower is licensed under CC BY- NC-ND 2.0
To get to the prize, you have to endure the thorns!
Black Berries are everywhere in Seattle! (See photo above.) As Ann Dornfield from KUOW wrote, ‘In Seattle, blackberries are as much a part of the view as the Puget Sound. I mean, there is not a part of Western Washington that is not touched by this plant,” says Sasha Shaw, a noxious weed expert with King County, Washington.
Shaw says the Himalayan blackberry erodes soil and crowds out native plants and animals.
“It can grow in dry soils, wet soils,” Shaw says. “It grows into the forest. It grows in full sun. There’s really not a place it can’t succeed.” Birds and other animals spread the seeds far and wide. Those seeds can live in the ground for years waiting to germinate. And once the plant is growing, when the tip of a vine touches the ground, it can create a new plant. “People keep trying to kill it, and it keeps coming back,” Shaw says. “It really has everything going for it in terms of an invasive plant.”
And it’s all Luther Burbank’s fault! Luther was a horticulturist and botanist. He realized back at the end of the 19thcentury, that people are going to need fresh fruit. He acquired seeds from India for a huge blackberry with an even bigger flavor, that ‘grew like nobody’s business’ but only in temperate areas. He called it the ‘Himalaya Giant.’ He offered the berry for sale on the Pacific Coast. And that’s the rest of the story’.
I grew up picking these blackberries every summer They are indeed everywhere! In every vacant lot, every bit of woods and even in your back yard. But, if you want to pick some, beware of the thorns. The stalks of the bushes can get to be one inch thick and are covered with thorns. It’s like you take your life in your hands if you climb a step ladder to get to the juiciest berries. That is perhaps why you feel so satisfied after you get enough berries to make jam or a pie. YUM. You get your prize in the end!
It is interesting to think about why the thorns are there. Couldn’t God have made blackberry bushes without thorns? I believe the thorns are necessary to convey a significant message to us.
‘You have to endure the thorns to receive the prize!’
Persecution we receive because we believe in Jesus Christ is like the thorns on the blackberry bush. It stings. It causes pain. Like people who insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you. ‘Be blessed’ says Jesus, ‘rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.’ Matthew 5:11-12.
Thank God that we here in America have freedom of religion!!! The first amendment of our constitution states: ‘Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;’
It’s not so in many countries of the world! ‘Open Doors US’ is an organization dedicated to ‘serving persecuted Christians worldwide.’ They estimate that more than 380 million Christians suffer high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith. I have provided a link to their website below. They provide a ‘World Watch List’ on their website ranking the 50 countries where Christians face the most extreme persecution. You can scroll down to read about individual countries, or you can download the entire prayer guide booklet for free! You can also order a free physical copy of the booklet to be sent to your home. Each country’s profile will give you a snapshot of what Christians face there, quotes from believers risking so much to follow Jesus and, most importantly, how you can pray. I have included a brief description of the persecution of Christians in North Korea! It is number one on their list.
‘If your Christian faith is discovered in North Korea, you could be killed on the spot. If you aren’t killed, you will be deported to a labor camp and treated as a political criminal. You will be punished with years of hard labor that few survive. And it’s not only you who will be punished: North Korean authorities are likely to round up your extended family and punish them too, even if your family members aren’t Christians.
There is no church life in North Korea. It’s impossible to gather for worship or prayer, and even secret worship and prayer is at great risk.
Recognizing any deity beyond the Kim family is considered a threat to the country’s leadership. ‘Anti-reactionary thought laws’ were enacted in December 2020. These made it even clearer that being a Christian or owning a Bible is a serious crime and will be severely punished.’
Think about what it’s like to be one of the 380 million persecuted Christians around the world and rejoice that you are not one of them and be blessed!!!!
Meditate on Psalm 100 and ‘SHOUT FOR JOY!’
‘Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the LORD is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.’ Psalm 100:1-5.
Having endured the thorns, you will get your prize, a reward in heaven, and blackberries on earth!!!
The following is the link I promised to ‘Open Doors US.’
I love all the messages you are finding that God put in His creation!
LikeLike
I think we can’t be reminded of the reality in this message too often.
And thank for the link to Open Doors
LikeLike