I hope you take time to look closely at this morning’s image. Do you see the two little sprouts? They are today’s object lesson on God’s love and faithfulness.
I almost forgot about them completely. Last Spring a dear friend gave me this pot of hyacinths. I love their fragrance! At our home in Rio Rico, before we started RVing full-time, I had a half whisky barrel where I planted hyacinth bulbs. Oh, the aroma that would fill the air when they began to bloom…
Early last summer when the blossoms were gone, I placed this pot in a big storage bench we have on the patio and completely forgot about them. Then the other day, I was looking for some potting soil and there was this metal bucket filled with soil. Much to my delight, one little stock was breaking through the bone-dry soil.
I took it out of the bench, watered it and placed it on a tabletop where it would get the warm sunshine. Yesterday, the second sprout appeared. And this morning, it’s a living example of hope.
“ As long as the earth continues, there will always be a time for planting and a time for harvest. There will always be cold and hot, summer and winter, day and night on earth.” Genesis 8:22 ERV
God has a plan for replenishing. Replenishing the soil, yes, replenishing our hope, our joy, our peace, most certainly.
“Then Jesus said, “What is God’s kingdom like? What can I compare it to? 19 God’s kingdom is like the seed of the mustard plant. Someone plants this seed in their garden. The seed grows and becomes a tree, and the birds build nests on its branches.” Luke 13:18-19 ERV
“And what about the seed that fell on the good ground? That is like the people who hear God’s teaching with a good, honest heart. They obey it and patiently produce a good crop.” Luke 8:15 ERV
The Seed is God’s word. Our hearts are the soil.
“ If you plant goodness, you will harvest faithful love. Plow your ground, and you will harvest with the Lord. He will come, and he will make goodness fall on you like rain.” Hosea 10:12 ERV
“For I will pour out water to quench your thirst and to irrigate your parched fields. And I will pour out my Spirit on your descendants, and my blessing on your children.” Isaiah 44:3 NLT
“ But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” Galatians 5:22-23 NLT
“…The Good News is like a sweet smell to those who hear it. 15 We are a sweet smell of Christ that reaches up to God. It reaches out to those who are being saved from the punishment of sin and to those who are still lost in sin.” II Corinthians 2:14-15 NLV
Oh, how I love God’s word!
It is like seed planted in our hearts. Our hearts are the soil. the Lord brings His living water to soften the soil so the seed will grow, and the Holy Spirit creates the fruit and our sweet aroma draws others to Christ. Amen and Amen!
You might be like my little hyacinth – hidden in the dark in a bucket of dry soil but take heart. The dry times are behind you – it’s time to grow!