About 25 years ago, I gave a short speech on the subject of “peace”. I prepared for that speech for about 20 minutes and spoke for about two minutes.
Many weeks later, someone stopped me at church and said, “Hey, I just wanted to mention that I heard your speech and I think you have a communication gift and you should consider being a speaker or teacher one day.” The seed of her words landed – but sat dormant for a LONG time. Many, many years passed and the tiny little seed sometimes gave me hope, and sometimes really annoyed me because it’s hard to live with desire unfulfilled and there really was nothing I could do to push it along.
This may sound silly, I know, but just yesterday as I wrote on the confession of hope, I had to stop and look and realize: the seed has become an honest-to-goodness tree. In fact, the “speaking seed” is a tree that helps to feed our family; it’s what I do for a living. Somewhere between the planting and the present, stuff grew. God moved. Rain fell. Sun baked. And the seed became a harvest. Maybe I wasn’t paying enough attention, because in reviewing the matter this morning, I realized: wow…that’s quite miraculous.
I guess I’m just writing this today, believing that at whatever place you find yourself, you will not give up hope. Perhaps the harvest feels so near you’ve got your baskets and boxes lined up to catch the fruit as it falls. Or maybe the vision of harvest is so hazy and distant that it’s painful to think about. I really think both are okay as long as you don’t give up. Hold fast without wavering. I promise that He is faithful. I’m evidence that He is faithful. Because when I look at my life, my talents and my gardening skills – there is no other explanation.
With Hope,
Bo
P.S. Thank you, Barbara Wright, for planting that seed in the most unlikely field…I want to be a faith-filled sower like you!
I love this post!
God’s been stirring a lot in me lately about the amazing power of a tiny seed . . . and how faith is a like that seed packet where you can get a “visual” of what you can’t yet see. In Africa recently, I actually preached a whole message about this. And just a few days ago, I’ve been thinking about how different kinds of seeds are planted . . . both good and bad.
The simple phrase, “And Noah planted a vineyard . . .” led to far-reaching negative consequences, even to later generations.
Oh, may our words, actions, and faith be like God-seeds . . . fruitful for His purposes!!!
Thanks for another encouraging word.
I love your blog!
Ann
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I quite honestly needed to read/hear that today…thank you!
There are seeds in my life…at times they seem to have been broadcast out into the windy terrain and so unsure where they will land and if they will in fact germinate…but thank you for the reminder that He is faithful and He can accomplish much more than we can imagine…in fact, I know He longs to do just that!