This is the time of year when I am spending time in the garden. I absolutely love it and the truth is that I constantly learn so much from this experience, it amazes me. This is a place where God often speaks to me, in the garden.
This morning I was out in the garden gathering green beans and cucumbers with my aunt. It’s a quiet job and I can hear God in this quiet place. It’s a peaceful place.
I can’t be in the garden without being amazed at the power in a seed. As I was gathering green beans this morning I was again amazed at God and His creation and how many beans came from that one little seed.
It reminded me of a time when someone had sowed a small seed into this ministry, at least small in their eyes. They would say ‘I know this is a small seed, I wish I could do more.’
What I have learned from gardening is that one very tiny seed will produce a great harvest, much more than what was sown. Remember that when God leads you to sow a seed that you don’t feel is large enough – know that that one seed will produce more harvest than you can imagine.
The other thing that has amazed me is this; you sow a small seed, one seed, then you wait. And wait.
And wait. I have often gone to the garden to look down the row to see what is coming up – and all I can see is grass and weed, but I kept looking, day after day. Then one day this thing that was not a grass or weed began to pop up – at that point, I was not really sure yet if it is my harvest, but I can see something coming up- after a few more days I am excited; it IS my harvest coming up.
In Matthew 13:31 Jesus said the Kingdom of heaven was likened to a grain of mustard seed. He said it was the least of all seeds and becomes the greatest of all. Now, after working with seeds and weeds and such I can see why Jesus likened much of our walk with him to sowing seeds – or to seeds themselves.
When we have a great challenge in our life, praying the word of God or sowing a financial seed may not seem to be the thing to do to try to resolve the situation, but just like Matthew 13 says; this thing that seems to be the smallest of seeds (word, praying, giving, worshipping) will grow up to be the greatest of things. It will literally change your entire situation. You may plant it and see nothing.
Just like me, you may walk through those spiritual rows and look, and look and look and see nothing but weeds – but I guarantee you something is growing beneath the surface, something is happening that you can’t yet see.
I know this because the word of God tells me that the fervent prayer of a righteous man or woman makes great power available, dynamic in its working. I know this because the Bible tells me if I sow a financial seed that I will ABSOLUTELY reap a harvest, there is no way around it. I know this because the Bible tells me when I worship God sends rain. I know this because God’s word tells me that His word is infallible.
The Kingdom of heaven is like a grain of seed…what is least of all becomes great…each time you sow according to the kingdom of God you will reap and that word, or that seed, or that worship, or that prayer will not lie dormant long, it will produce exactly what it was sent to produce. Keep watching.
Keep looking. Keep tending the garden; you will see your harvest begin to spring forth, it is imminent.
On a final note; keep in mind that there is a time when it looks like nothing is happening. A time that appears that your seed didn’t make it, that it may have actually died. You may even be tempted to dig it up and see what has happened…but remember John 12:24. It says ‘unless a seed falls into the ground and dies it remains alone, however, if it goes into the ground and dies it brings forth much fruit.’ At that time when it seems nothing is happening, you can see nothing, you have planted your seed but you see nothing happening and it seems as if your seed has died and it has, but that is good news! What comes next is that it produces much fruit. It only appears dead – it is about to arise and break through the surface. Never forget that and keep looking, your seed is coming up and your harvest is coming forth!
