I've never considered myself a plant person, but boy, do I love to garden. There is something satisfying in growing living things and eating the fruit of them. There is labor in the growing; there is care in the tending, and the entire process is very pleasing to me. Food is more delicious when it is homegrown. It's more fun, more connected to the earth. Fulfills some part of that man and nature relationship that we need to fill in order to feel fully human.
It's early spring and time for planting. Since it has been so nice, I thought it safe to plant some spring plants. Please frost stay away! My broccoli, tomatoes, onions, garlic, lettuce, carrots, and others are in the ground. I have some more seeds to plant, but I can only plant in spurts since most of the time I feel like I can't get off the couch much less hoe and rake and fertilize. But I've rallied enough in the past week to get some of it done and now there is nothing to do but, wait. The waiting period has begun. Now I must wait for all the seeds I've planted to sprout and grow and bear fruit. Wait. Wait. Wait.
It's a great step of faith, to believe what I've planted will actually grow. Most seeds have a 2 to 3 week germination period so I won't see any results for awhile. And while I know that, that still doesn't stop me from meticulously observing my plots to see if anything has sprouted. Most of onions and garlic have and their stalks make me so happy and proud. But all the others, well, I have to wait, and trust, and endure to see if they take to the ground and grow, too.
And yes I feel that it is very Biblical and Christian to wait. Most characters in the Bible spent most of their lives waiting. Noah for rain, Abraham for a son, Israel for a promise land, Israel to return to the promise land after exile, for the Messiah, for the second coming. Wait, wait, wait, wait. Most of the Bible is about waiting! James write in chapter 5 of his epistle:
Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
A very appropriate passage for a gardener, don't you think? Establish your hearts? You mean plant establish your roots. Be patient, the coming of the Lord is at hand? More be patient, the coming fruit will be in your hand. And I guess, no matter what direction you take the metaphor, this kind of waiting is exciting ( as opposed to all the other kinds present in the Bible). Producing fruit is exciting to me. Jesus coming back will be exciting, too. There is a lot of work to be done, but there is a lot to look forward to. A lot of fruit and vegetables to look forward to. And if you have not had a carrot grown in your own backyard, you are missing a great pleasure in life. ... Just like if you haven't met Jesus yet, you, too, are missing out on some great, meaningful, satisfying, life giving stuff that is readily available to you if you take the time and care to plant it. Amen.
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