Planting…

What crop do you want?

Scripture makes it clear, we choose the produce by the seeds we plant.

Job 4:8 NKJV — Even as I have seen, Those who plow iniquity And sow trouble reap the same.

Life isn’t a vending machine, where you put in your money, press a button, and get out whatever you want.

Instead, it is a continual choice and in the choosing is where the seeds are planted.

Following the Lord is costly, but it holds enormous promise.

Psalm 126:5 NKJV — Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy.

No amount of sacrifice can compare to the joy of eternity.

Hosea 10:12 NKJV — Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the LORD, Till He comes and rains righteousness on you.

What joy and gladness to know we can choose today to plant seeds for tomorrow!

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for Your truth. Please continue to teach me what to do each day, as I want to sow seeds of righteousness. Lord, only in You can I find wisdom and truth. Only in You can I understand how to walk correctly. I want righteousness to rain down upon me and my family. Please help me to plant honorably. I love You, Jesus. Amen.

…”like it was written for me.”

These little sprouts around the bottom of one of the lilacs made me think of new beginnings.

Ordinarily, I’d cut them back to force the bush to grow on the older wood.

I really don’t have time to garden, nor the energy, so they will stay as they are.

And the picture is a reminder of new growth.

In the Spring,
when the seedlings break through, there’s such expectation.

But with it is the realty of the winter past and choices of the future.

As with any seedling, there’s normally a need to thin out.

Which often means death and loss.

Plants which are crowded close together can not thrive and won’t produce to their best.

It requires pulling up some, for the best growth of others.

And I hate pulling up seedlings.

Yet, I’m never satisfied with the results when I ignore the task.

Bugs and plant disease are much more common in plants who live crowded together.

Each individual seedling needs to be washed in sunshine and given the freedom to stretch it’s roots in search of nutrients and water.

So, I thin out my seedlings.

This past year feels like God has been thinning my life.

Removing that which I saw as important and letting in the Son.

It’s been painful.

And He’s not finished yet.

Our family is going to be transplanted and that always causes a certain amount of time, discomfort, loss.

As I read my Bible this morning and all these things lingered in the back of my mind,

the words lept out.

It was like it was written to me.

“Also Your righteousness, O God, is very high, You who have done great things; O God, who is like You? You, who have shown me great and severe troubles, Shall revive me again, And bring me up again from the depths of the earth.”
Psalms 71:19‭-‬20 NKJV

My troubles are tiny on the scale of human tribulations.

But they have felt great and severe to me.

And through it all,

I have said, “Who is like You?”

Because He has been with me through it all.

His comfort has been my constant companion.

His Word, my healing.

And as David penned, so long ago:

“…(God) Shall revive me again, And bring me up again from the depths…”

Psalm 71:20 NKJV

There isn’t any way for me to know what lies ahead.

But I’m secure in the knowledge of what my future shall be.

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You so much for Your Holy Word. It has never lost it’s flavor or it’s life changing abilities. Your Words are truth and I am so thankful for them all. Lord, let me live by Your truth, growing more in it each day. Like a tiny seedling, I have no idea what You are going to grow through me, but I want to be willing for anything required to produce a crop for Your glory

Growth

This is a pumpkin plant in our garden.

Jase is holding the ruler because we are charting several plant’s growth this summer.

Yet, the idea of growth prompts me to look deeper.

How am I growing?

Have I allowed the Lord to water me today with His Word?

Are there any weeds in my heart which seek to choke out the seeds God has planted?

How do I tell the difference between a baby seed and a baby weed?

In the garden it normally takes a little time.

The same it true for my heart.

I have learned when I’m unsure if something is of the Lord I need to wait and not commit myself to it.

Prayer and patience have saved me from poor choices more than once.

A few days ago I was feeling tired and sad.

The garden of my heart seemed to be wilted.

I had sought the Lord in prayer, yet something was lacking.

I felt led to read Psalms.

I read and read, yet had not found the key to my need.

Psalm 139 was it.

“O LORD, You have searched me and known me.  You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O LORD, You know it altogether. You have hedged me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it.” Psalm 139: 1-6 NKJV

Softly the truth of God, His love, His care, His understanding, renewed my strength.

I’m still growing with the Lord each day, and at times it feels fruitful and others it just hurts.

Yet, as I tend the plants in our garden I look to Jesus.

Dear God,

   Please continue to grow me in Your word and Your plan. Help me to recognize weeds and to uproot them. Show me where I’m lacking and please guide me in growth. I want to be a fruitful vine, yet I know it can only happen through You. Thank You for Your faithfulness, love, patience, and so much more. Thank You for never giving up on me. I love You.

Amen

Up close

Details,
can be elusive.

It takes getting up-close,
magnifying the miniscule,
focusing on what normally goes unnoticed.

Effort,
time,
tools,
talent.

But what are the details which are worthy of so much effort?

Lately,
it’s been my reactions.

The tools used to magnify the miniscule is the Bible and prayer.

The time has been in quietness before the Lord.

The talent has been to be real with Him,  Who created me.

The result has been to see myself a little clearer.

Busy with schedules and tasks and lists which check off one at a time, can keep me from noticing the prick, the nudge, the pull at my heart strings.

Who wants to stop and stare at the details, revealing the weakness within?

I honestly don’t.

But I am.

And I will continue to.

Because the details of my reactions tell me the opportunity to hone something inside my character is available.

Not only in the words out of my mouth,
but the sighs,
gestures,
roll of the eyes,
tone of voice,
or even in the stony silence,
my attitudes are revealed.

Pride
Stubbornness
Selfishness
Fear
Distrust

All these have been unearthed with my focusing on details.

They weren’t “in your face” but they were there just the same.

I could have found excuses for every occasion,
blamed each on circumstance,
dodged the truth and backed away…

Yet these words kept me from running.

“How can you, being evil, speak good things?  For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things,  and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.” Matt. 12:34b-35

I don’t want to hide evil in my heart.

Even if it is only the smallest seed it can grow to ruin the beautiful.

I asked the Lord:

“Clean me Father. Heal my heart of the designs of sin. Give me love to replace anger and hurt. Humility to replace pride and haughtiness.  Faith to replace fear and distrust. Lastly, forgive me please for allowing the seeds of sin.”

With a
Deep breath
and
renewed strength my eyes catch Ps. 16:11

“You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fulness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures
forevermore.”

With this all I can say is:

Amen.