Guest Devotionalist - Sue Payne

Milkweed - By Sue Payne

"You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear the sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." John 3:7-8



Recently, I watched the miraculous transformation of a milkweed pod as it sat on the windowsill in our kitchen. The once-closed, green pod eventually dried and opened to reveal its new life within; tiny, tear-shaped seeds, each adorned with delicate silk thread "wings".

Lacking the aid of the breeze needed to fly to freedom, I had the privilege of watching this slow motion transformation as these tiny seeds burst forth in an amazing orderly and artistic manner. Normally, the wind would simply carry these tiny dancers upon its breath, eventually emptying the pod of new life, to a place of new birth. Designed and created with perfect wisdom, our God gives the milkweed everything it needs to grow.

God has designed the human heart to grow as well and has made available everything it needs to fulfill His purposes. Like the milkweed pod, the heart holds new life within its grasp.

Unfortunately, many of us keep our heart under wraps, similar to the tightly closed, green pod of the milkweed. Past sins, burdens, and bitterness keep our hearts hardened, hiding the contents in fear of judgment and ridicule. Selfishness may keep a heart from sharing its life within. And there are those of us who believe that because of circumstances out of our control such as abuse, addiction, ignorance or neglect, our hearts are void of God's life-giving spirit. Self-respect becomes non-existent and the heart lays dormant and frozen.

In His great wisdom, God knows the hard, outer shell of our heart must be broken in order that the fresh winds of His Spirit will blow, enabling its new life to fly to freedom. He breaks us in order to make us better. A broken heart, spilled out and rid of its fears, makes more room for Him. God breaks our will so that we might see His. His power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Cor. 12:9).

The heaven-sent mission of the Holy Spirit is about peace, confidence, hope, and freedom in Christ. The mission is only accomplished when we choose to walk in faith and to learn to trust in God's perfect love for us.

That once frozen, hardened, cold heart becomes a rushing flow of supernatural, new life when we yield all things to Him. Then, upon the breath of the Holy Spirit, God's peace and love will blow wherever it pleases, making His peace in your life known to those around you. And soon, you will see the new life flying to freedom on the wings of the Spirit, finding new birth and growing in places you never imagined!

Fly with Christ!
Sue Payne



Sue Payne is a freelance writer whose articles have appeared in home schooling newsletters and church news bulletins. Most recently one of her articles took second place at the Delaware Christian Writer's Conference. She is experienced in curriculum planning and design and uses her writing skills to encourage and teach others. Sue lives in Delaware, is married, and has two boys whom she home schooled for a total of fourteen years.