There is so much prep in having a garden. There have been times when I have asked myself, is it really worth all of the time and efforts to prepare the soil, plant the seeds, hover over and watch. I mean really, I'm a busy chick! There are plenty (plenty) of other things I could be doing besides staring at the dirt first thing in the morning and at the end of a long day. What am I doing? We have a rather nice Safeway which has very fine produce. During the summer, we have a market that offers fresh produce as well. I could most certainly add hours to my day by simply purchasing the vegetables I desire on a whim, rather than hover over seeds, watching, watering, weeding and waiting.
And there are times when I watch, water, weed and wait and wait and wait.... and nothing. The seeds don't do a thing HUMPH! Again, the trying of my patience and the question in what did I do wrong? I've come to understand it isn't always the farmer who has done wrong. But elements aside from the farmer. Like those pesky bugs, or birds or kids who think they'll help the seed along. Or in fact it has been me, in my excitement to offer a nice clean spot for my seed to shine, I pull a start inadvertently thinking it is indeed a weed. OOOPS
In life we experience the same kind of thing. Sometimes we are the farmer. Sometimes we plant a seed and we are asked to watch, water, weed and wait. Perhaps you can relate? You have a friend who doesn't know the Lord or has an opinion so far removed from yours, you simply plant a seed (share your thoughts) and you must watch. Or you have a friend who is curious and inquires about your walk of faith. So you plant the seed, watch and water. Then there are those who really desire to know what it is that you are doing which brings such joy and peace to your life, but have such resistance to accepting something could be blessed upon them. You share your walk, you water, you watch and in their speculation of things you must weed through the negative and wait.
And there are those who refuse to have any part of anything which you stand for, voice or share. In this instance, you sprinkle your seeds. There may or may not be opportunity to nurture this "crop". You may not be the farmer. You may simply be the one who sprinkled the seeds.
Sometimes we must understand just as a farmer, there are far more elements to a productive harvest than just the farmer. You must consider, soil (soul), water (feeding the soul), weeding (removing that which is toxic to the harvest) and wait (sometimes the wait is so very long). There are other elements as well, weather (the storms in ones life can wreck a harvest). SONshine (there are times when there are clouds and we choose not to see the SON ). Water (sometimes we must allow others to pour on the message).
In my life, just as in farming there is a great desire to plant a seed. To water, watch, weed and wait. I try to live my life in such a way that opportunity will allow me to "plant a seed" to share about what an awesome God I have in my life. To share the great harvest of blessings that are given to me. In life, just as in my garden, I've come to realize and sometimes painfully so, I am not a great farmer. I'm really just a mediocre farmer. But, my desire to be a great farmer and to share an abundant harvest HUGE! I've learned in my life as well, sometimes I carry a seed and it gets sprinkled and it is left for others to harvest.
16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.
17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear
it. 18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” Matthew 13:16-23
As I have grown in my relationship with Jesus I've come to understand .... when I say "Use me for your purpose" I am not saying USE ME SO I CAN SEE YOUR PURPOSE, I am saying USE ME FOR YOUR PURPOSE, it isn't about what I SEE, it is about what I DO. Much like the farmer. Sometimes you plant a seed and you see nothing happen. That doesn't meant that NOTHING happened, it simply means you didn't see what happened ~ perhaps that seed fed a bird or a bug? Perhaps God had other plans, and he used you. God used it for HIS PURPOSE.