I want to be a Pomegranate!!!

That's right you read that correctly. I want to be a pomegranate. Now, if you just hang on and continue reading you will understand why....

I was praying about a little over a week ago about the post I had planned to put on here. It was about "dust." I wanted to do a post about how if a plant is covered in a layer of dust, it prevents the sun from permeating it and hence it hinders the growth of the plant...see the spiritual application? If we are covered in a layer of "filth and dust", we hinder the "Son" from penetrating our lives and hinder growth as well. So, as I lay there praying over this post, Pomegranates entered my little mind...(Don't ask me, I didn't create the mind I have!). As I meditated on "dust and pomegranates" I kept asking what the correlation was and why pomegranates? After much prayer (over a week), some research and some dialogue, I can now publish this post. Upon completion of this, "Yes, I do want to be a pomegranate and pray that you do too!" Enjoy!!! ;-)

First, I believe I should familiarize and educate you on the proper way to de-seed a pomegranate. Just in case you have never eaten one, I would like for you to be able to follow along. These directions were taken from the following link:
http://mideastfood.about.com/od/tipsandtechniques/ss/deseedpomegrana_1.htm

1. Cut off the crown of the pomegranate.


2. Slice the rind in several places.


3. Soak pomegranate in water.


4. Break apart pomegranate.


5. Remove rind and membranes.


6. Then finally you may remove the seeds from the bowl and enjoy the fruit.

So, now that we now know the proper way to de-seed this fruit. Let's get on with the spiritual application of why "I want to be a pomegranate."

First, you need to cut off the crown of the fruit. This is the "crown" of the fruit! In our lives, this could be "cutting or removing ourselves away from others" that we have grown with. This is what we believe our identity has always been--our "worldly crown" prior to our salvation. This may mean removing ourselves from the "pack" we grew up with or even maybe the lifestyle of those we love so dearly. To eat a pomegranate-it doesn't say "put aside the crown-it says "CUT IT OFF!" Have you cut off your "old crown" and prepared yourself for the one Christ has for you?

Second, we need to slice the rind/flesh in several places. As a Christian, we need to deny our flesh of the earthly desires we as humans crave. I am not suggesting you make cuttings on your flesh (scripture advises against that), I am saying that we need to "remove our flesh" in order to get to the place that God has designed for us. Galatians 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

Third, (I just love this one) "soak in water." We, too, must be soaked; drenched; immersed and saturated in the Living Water (the Word of God). Let's get so immersed in the water that we fight the evil one and our human nature with "the two-edged sword!" Let's combat ourselves, our flesh and the wiles of the devil with the Creator's very own Word--we can only do this if we are soaking in the "Living Water." Use scripture to bring every thought into the obedience of Christ. Pray Scripture for peace, comfort and during times of distress. Call upon the "Water" to be rehydrated and refreshed.

Fourthly, break apart the pomegranate. Need I say more? We will need to be broken! It's just the way that our God in His Sovereignty willed it to be. Just be broken and praise Him for it. (Side note: one of my favorite songs is by Kathy Troccoli and it is called, "How would I know". One of the lines goes: "If there had never been a battle, how would I know the victory!" I say that to remind myself as well as you to trust that God in His Divine Providence has provided even the battles so that He can receive all the Glory and the Victory!)

Fifth, remove the rind and membranes. Interesting, when you look into why you remove them you will know that the rind/flesh is no good. Kinda like ours, eh? And when you look into why you remove the membrane you learn that it is because it is bitter. How many of us carry around bitterness, unforgiveness and anger? Let's lay these aside again at the feet of our Savior (Matthew 11:28-30). And let's discard them once and for all so that we can get to....

The fruit and the seeds! After all that hard work, we get to the delicious, sweet, inside of the yucky rind and it is filled with 840 seeds! (True fact!) Now, you can "pop" those seeds covered in fruit into our mouths and enjoy. But be careful: the juice of a pomegranate stains leaving a lasting impression!

Okay--I know it took us a while to get here but this is where it gets really good! You have now gotten to the fruit and the seeds! Let's look at the Biblical usage of pomegranates and you will see how this all ties in:

The Bible states in Exodus28:34 that the robes of the priests should have a "golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate...all along the hem...."

The bell is an audible type of witness. It is there so you can hear his arrival, hear his coming. It is a picture representing what he says. The pomegranate is a picture of the "fruit" or testimony that should accompany the witness. Therefore, the hem is the following: bell/pomegranate/bell/pomegranate OR witness/fruit/witness/fruit.

So, now we know how to get to the "heart of the fruit" and now we know the Biblical significance of the pomegranate on the hems of the priest. So, we need to get to the fruit by denying our flesh, soaking in the Water and laying aside every sin that so easily besets us so that we can be a witness that bears fruit which leaves a lasting impression.

I want to be a pomegranate! Do you?