I love gardening. Even though I know nothing about cultivating, fertilizing and pruning, it didn’t hinder me from taking care of my very own little garden after spending a considerable amount of time in observing how my grandmother took care of her own. One of the significant things that I have learned from my grandmother was about pruning. I have learned that pruning is very important if I want my plants to bear much fruit. I have noticed that the more I pruned the more the plant become stronger and the fruits sweeter.

Pruning is also an important part of our Christian walk. John 15: 1-2 says, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” Here in the Lord’s appointed vineyard in Bicutan the pain of pruning is being experience by everyone. It is really painful to change and the worst take away our habits especially those that have something to do with handling our time and prioritizing but pruning is the time where the gardener exercises control over his stubborn plants. It is true that most of us are now struggling to wake up early each day to seek the Lord’s counsel through CPP and morning devotion. It is really hard especially when you have worked the whole day and slept very late at night. We also need to read our Bible everyday to keep in touch with the Lord always so that we may be able to abide in His Word. Normally, people complain and ask for permission to be excused but here in CSAFMI, we rest in the Lord’s presence and find our strength in Him.

Pruning is also a process that involves cutting-off of the branch that doesn’t bear fruit. Here in Bicutan many have already been cut off. It is not easy for us who remained because we have also been affected. It hurt but because we believe that Lord knows everything and we are assured that it is necessary for us to grow. Especially for those chosen branches that are very willing to bear the pain of His discipline. The Lord keeps on showing us how faithful He’s working for our good. In spite of what had happened we still have hope and will continue to give praise to the Lord for all the things He has done and is still doing in our lives, painful as it is, the process has sprouted hope in the midst of our pain.

The cutting off gave way for those who are willing to be useful and bear fruit for God. He has added 4 souls to be part of His CSAFMI vineyard. They had finished their membership orientation last May o4, 2008 and are now ready to endure the pain that will lead them to perfection. Therefore, we believed that our role as the branches will give hope to the future generation in the Lord’s vineyard. We will continue to endure the pain… together… until we become as strong as the “Great vine” to which we put our trust. Now, we believe that sooner we will be ready to bear much fruit – the kind of fruit that last.

- Ptr. Rechel Azupardo

Are you worried about your children’s future? Are you concerned about their safety because of the rampant cases of heinous crimes in our society? There’s no need to worry if you believe in a God that is all-powerful. There’s no need to be anxious if you know that He holds the future in His hands. What you need to do is to offer your children to God and allow Him to work in their lives.

To offer your child doesn’t mean taking them to an altar to be slaughtered. It simply means giving them up to God so that He may be able to use them for His purpose just like what Hannah did to his boy Samuel. (I Samuel 1-2). If you want to follow Hannah’s example the first thing that you need to do is to pray. In 1 Samuel 1:11, Hannah prayed. She told God what she wanted and what she will do if God would answer her. She asked God for a son and promised Him that her son will serve the Lord all His life. Notice that even before the baby was conceived, Hannah had been praying for it. Samuel literally grew up “well-fed” by her mother’s prayers.

In the same way, we should nurture our children with prayers. Yes, some of us might raise their eyebrows and say that they’ve been praying for their child ever since. But babbling about our child’s security to God and making Him promise that He will give them a bright future ahead is not enough to say that we had offered our child to God. We are normally praying for what we want for them - protection, blessing, guidance, fortune, fame but we tend to neglect what’s more important, which is to entrust our children to God - through prayer. Hannah just simply cried out a simple prayer entrusting Samuel to the hands of God even before she have him yet. As a result, God worked in all aspects of Samuel’s life.

Secondly, just like Hannah, we should also expose our children to the ministry of God. Hannah nursed Samuel until he was old enough to stay in the Temple under the care of Eli, the high priest, to be a servant in the Lord’s Temple. Just like Samuel, our children could also start doing something for God even at their very young age. This will only happen if we allow them to be involved in some activities designed for the children conducted in the Lord’s appointed sanctuary in our area. One example is the regular Sunday school activities where they to be groomed to do something for God. Here, our children’s ability, potentials and talents are being prepared d for God’s use. Each session is a great opportunity to know God more by reading of stories from the Bible and memorizing some verses from the Scripture. Lately, our children are regularly participating during our Worship Service through singing songs for the Tithes and Offering section.

Lastly, Hannah showed Samuel her full support and also set a good example to him. Samuel saw how constantly Hannah worshipped. But there is more, Hannah as she came to Shiloh to worship God, never forgot to bring new clothes for Samuel. (1 Samuel 2:18-19) It only shows that Hannah never stopped being involved in the ministry after God answered her prayer but rather it made her desire to be in God’s presence more and more. Her unwavering commitment planted the love to serve God in the heart of young Samuel. Children always imitate what they see. More often, their heroes are their parents and they tend to follow what they do. That is why, according to some studies, how we act and what we believe will reflect on them. We could even evaluate our way of life just by looking on our children. So be an example to them just like what Hannah did.

Offering your children to God is just simply entrusting them in the hands of the Lord, who has all the authority and power over our lives. Stop worrying now, start offering your children to God. Do your task to make them an acceptable and a pleasing offering for Him. And surely the Lord will help you to do it. Like what Elkanah told Hannah in 1 Samuel 1:23. “The Lord will help you to do what you have promised.”

- Mardy Rito