This time of year we see life springing up all around us. Trees have recloaked their skeletal frame with fresh, green, lacy beauty. Bushes pruned back last winter, have sprouted new branches to replace those lost to pruning. Flowers long ago died off into the ground are reappearing through the ground to make their spring debut. If you look close enough, you’ll even find nuts that dropped off their life source last year have found a way to sprout into the beginnings of a soon to be new seedling.
I especially love to see the blossoms burst forth on fruit trees, knowing that they signal yummy fruit yet to come. The cycle is something we are all familiar with. A seed is planted, it grows, and it yields whatever harvest comes from that seed. Or that is how it’s supposed to happen. But nature can throw some unexpected calamities into the mix and those seeds, seedlings, young plant, etc will be challenged to overcome it. It may be a late freeze that suddenly kills off the tender shoots already growing. It could be a fire, flooding, strong winds, etc. All kinds of events can occur in the life of this young seed trying to reach a time of harvest. It can be a fight to sustain the life of that seed through these challenges. Left on its own, it may not survive. But, when that seedling has a gardener that sees the plight and comes to the rescue, the odds improve greatly. The gardener can do for that seedling what it can’t do for itself to protect it and provide the components needed to allow it to survive and thrive.
I’m challenged recently from some Joyce Meyers teachings where she mentioned a similar concept. The Bible is full of references to planting seeds and the resulting harvest. As we see all around us in nature, this is the cycle of living things. It is easy to focus on the seed planting and the harvest, but the real challenge is to appreciate the part in the middle…the growing. It’s in the growing where the seed is faced with the biggest risks of survival. Maybe in part because growing is the part that takes the most amount of time. But before a seed can ever reach it’s potential to produce fruit, it must grow. It must be firmly planted in soil that is life-giving. It must have sprouted branches that have stood up to the storms that have come it’s way. It’s branches have to been able to produce not only leaves but have matured enough to grow blossoms that feed other living beings. It has to have grown a strong enough core that other pests and sicknesses that may attack it, cannot destroy it’s life giving ability. The longer it is able to grow and develop these life giving characteristics, the more fruit or harvest it will be able to produce over the years. Any thing here starting to sound familiar?
It’s what happens in the middle that will make or break us in our ability to harvest that which God has promised us or purposed us for. I know we are one being, but I believe God plants many different seeds in us throughout our lifetime. They come in many different forms. Some are promises given to us by God in His Word. Some are in dreams and visions we have had for what we are to put our energies into. Some may be in how we are to affect other lives. Some may be in just getting us through a single day. Some may be in learning to show love more, or to hold our tongue, or to improve our attitude, etc. I would suggest it is everything that God is talking to you about. They are all seeds God is planting in our hearts.
God, our gardener, is tending to us to grow those seeds and bring them to harvest. We are all in various stages of growing these different seeds. Their ability to grow to a point of harvest is solely dependent on our willingness to yield to the Gardener’s direction. Not hearing any direction? Maybe your roots are not seated in the soil of the Word. Feeling some pain? It may be some pruning going on to reshape you. Feeling sick? Maybe there is an unhealthy root the Gardener is seeking to dig out so you can heal. Feeling a bit cold? Could it be you have moved into the forest and out from under the “Son”? Feeling anxiety and fear? Don’t underestimate that pesky “devourer” who is seeking to destroy you and your growth. Feeling weak and hungry? As the Gardener is giving you life through your branches, you should be giving life to others through your blossoms. Fight to grow. Stand tall, spread your branches, give life back and drink in the Son. Waiting for the harvest is the toughest part. But if we don’t grow strong enough to hold up the fruit, it will be of no eternal value.
Time has always seemed to be an enemy when we are waiting for something desired. But, if God promised the harvest, He will provide it. Time is not the enemy. Time is opportunity to grow stronger so that when we do produce the harvest it feeds not only us, but those in our home, our community, and our world. Look back and see the faithfulness of God. Even in the simple things, there is that middle step where growth is revealed before the goal is reached; Mark 4:35-40 Jesus was taking the disciples to the other side of the sea and as promised He got them there. But, in the middle, they freaked out at their circumstances. 40) “And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?” Look back on your life. Remember the times God promised you something and it happened. You reaped the harvest, but surely not before a season of growth occurred in the middle, right?
What seeds are planted in you today? Are you focused on listening to the Gardener for daily instructions on how to grow? Are you giving life to others in preparation of the harvest? Are you recognizing the devourer chewing on you and choosing to shield yourself from him?
Give God the glory by sharing a time where God brought you harvest after a season of growth.
Don’t give up on the harvest. It is coming, if you will keep growing while you are waiting.
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