One of my favorite memories is of going to 4-H camp. Meals at camp seemed extra special. We began meals with this song:
The Lord is good to me, and so I thank the Lord
for giving me the things I need,
the sun and the rain and the apple seed.
The Lord is good to me.
That little song holds great wisdom. God commanded light to shine in the darkness, and He divided the waters into ground water and atmosphere before He brought forth the seed-bearing plants. Jesus is the light of the world, and He invites us to come to Him when we thirst.
The planting and harvesting of seeds show us a lot about how to walk with God. Seeds don't look like much, but God uses the small and insignificant to accomplish mighty works. Seeds don't look anything like the fruit they produce. How would you react if you visited earth for the first time and someone tried to convince you that a little apple seed could turn into a tree full of red, tasty apples? I would probably retreat from such a fantasy!
The Bible tells us that our Father takes care of His garden. He may dig around us, apply some fertilizer and prune off broken or diseased branches so we are able to produce good fruit. A fruit inspection may require that we spend more time in the light and drink from the stream of Living Water rather than grab a sip from an old cistern, but we can always trust the Creator of all plants to know what He is doing.
We wouldn't consider planting pumpkin seeds to get strawberries, so we need to consider the same in our spiritual lives. In the Bible, God's Word, Paul warns us by saying: "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life" (Galatians 6:7–8).
It is good to understand that planting and harvesting come in different seasons. Some may be living a deceptive life and think they are getting away with it. Some may be discouraged because their good efforts seem to go unnoticed or unrewarded. Paul says, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:9).
Do you ever regret some of the seeds you've planted? I do! But we can repent! God's potent herbicide of forgiveness destroys the bitter weeds working to choke out true life and good fruit. Forgiving others also releases painful thistles that dig into painful wounds, allowing time to heal.
God applied pesticide at the cross when He won victory over the greatest pest of all, the Prince of Darkness (plants don't do well in darkness). Jesus enables His family to stand against the powers of evil through His Word and His Spirit.
Finally, it is never too late to replant. The apostle Peter, who denied his Lord three times after Jesus' arrest, tells us to: "Love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins" (1 Peter 4:8). Jesus talked to the unpopular Samaritan woman at the well. He knew she had had many husbands and was not married to the man she was living with; yet His love caused her to gather family and friends so they, too, could hear His words of grace. At another time, Jesus rebuked the religious leaders who looked down on the woman weeping at His feet. He told them that she loved much because she had been forgiven much. What a beautiful garden plan!
Sue Carlisle grew up on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. An enrolled member of the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska, her passion is to encourage people to look at creation and see our awesome Creator. Sue
is author of Walking with the Creator Along the Narrow Road (2013 Indian Life Books). She and her husband, Wes, now live in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
