What Are We Planting?

^“Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God! —harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.” Galatians 6:7-8 MSG

“Sooner or later everyone sits down to a banquet of consequences.” Robert Louis Stevenson

Spring! I happily reap some beautiful, scented flowers from the dirty, ugly bulbs I planted last fall. My rose bushes look like dead sticks in March but in May, what beauty and fragrance! A neighbor saw me fertilizing those barren sticks and thought they were dead—like Jesus in the tomb. Planting reminds me of the resurrection and Paul’s description of how we are planted in a dirty, musky grave and raised to eternal life in unspeakable joy.

Some of you started in a hole. Your parents may have been abusive or too permissive. Your education may have been at the School of Hard Knocks. You may have been in poverty or have a criminal record. It’s time to plow and plant new seeds of hope, forgiveness and love. Learning to plant takes encouragement from fellow gardeners, patience, and recognizing what to plant and when. Start where you are. Plant what you know. The Father will help you. Who has a garden you admire? Talk to them. Learn. Enjoy.

Some have lost their vision. I lost my purpose when people I loved died. Even during challenging times, having my loved ones close helped me continue in the Father’s purpose for me. Some lost their businesses and started from scratch again—so discouraging!  We trust the Father with our salvation but not with our loved one’s death. We trust the Father with our salvation but not our daily needs. This takes prayer, honesty and struggle.

Gift or the Giver. We may know the Father, seen His works in our lives and others but have we experienced Him? Have we praised Him, thanked Him, and enjoyed being with Him? Have we planted seeds of a relationship with Him? Relationships need nurturing and sunlight too. When we seek the Father, we find ourselves—our true selves.

We get what we give. We do what we are. Every day we must plant and nurture a spiritual seed with water, sunlight, and patience with heavenly expectation. Gardens have quick-growing crops like radishes and slow-growing crops like apple trees. Our Father is the Master Gardener and knows the best way to grow us.

Musings

No matter our situation, we can plant something that will grow and bless us and others daily. Even if we could not read our Bibles, the Law of Sowing and Harvesting is easy to see and experience. My son planted a sunflower seed when he was a little child. When the flower bloomed in two long months, so did his face with pride and joy. Think of the Father’s pride and joy in you.

Prayer

Dear Father,

You designed us to plant, grow and harvest, no matter our life’s vocation, age or ability. We thank You for guiding us in this tremendous responsibility with incredible reward. Please help us to see growth opportunities today.

Amen.