Who is ready to talk about gardening? I know the snow that is blanketting a good portion of the nation isn't exactly conducive to growing pretty flowers and veggies. It is hard to imagine warm sunny days and spring showers right about now. But, and here's the important part...
It is under this blanket of snow and ice that the earth is getting ready for its next season of growth. When I picture this is my head, I think about situations that look so dormant, so hopeless, that we can't ever imagine a harvest coming out of that particular soil. We just never know what work God is doing beneath the surface, though. Is there a situation in your life that looks hopeless? Do you feel like you should have seen a bloom or two by now?
Can I encourage you with the story of my zucchini? I know, that sounds so silly, but I have a zucchini story. I planted a zucchini plant in my garden. I watched it get bigger and bigger, with huge leaves and big yellow flowers. But no zucchini. Every day I checked, and no zucchini. One day towards the end of the summer, I saw this shadowy looking thing under the plant. There was a massive zucchini laying there in my garden. I don't know when it grew because I was checking all. the. time.
My point is this...sometimes we can be staring at something so intently we miss what is going on right under our noses. God may be up to something that you aren't aware of because you are too close to the situation. Or maybe He is working on something in a garden a little closer to home...hint, hint...than what you were expecting.
For someone like me who thrives on being the master gardener in every situation, not seeing the progress or activity I thought I was growing is sometimes tough to take. But, it is during these periods of growth that I learn the most.
How about you? Are you ready to stare at the frozen tundra out your window and dream of sunny days ahead, days that God is busy preparing just below the surface of what we can see? Let's trust that He knows what He is doing and that one of these days we will see the harvest.
I will be referring to this post often when I get the uncontrollable desire to sit and stare thinking I am going to speed the process along. It is in fact when I look away for a just a moment that my garden grows.
ReplyDeleteI've really seen that happen before....one day no zucchini, the next day a BIG zucchini! As I think about this post digging comes to mind. When I don't see anything happening, I tend to start digging, inside, what's going on, what am I doing wrong, what do I need to do different. Maybe I should just sit still and wait for the growth process. Thank you my friend.
ReplyDeleteoh yes how growth can sneak in, both physical and spiritual Luke's limbs are like mighty tree branches (talk about big zucchinis!)our childern need constant care from us the gardeners of His garden
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