For the last few years I’ve attempted to raise a garden. I
say “attempted” because it has proven to be quite a challenge for a guy with
Brown thumbs.
In an effort to have success this year I decided to change
things a bit. In the past my garden was bigger than I could handle, so I cut
down the size of the plot. I also set it up so that watering could be done more
efficiently. Efforts that would surely produce more vegetables.
I worked the ground early and had a beautiful seedbed ready
to receive my seeds and plants. Plenty of early rain brought the seedlings up
and helped them grow. This year was going to be different!
But eventually the rain stopped coming and summer temps began
rising.
A busy life kept me away from the garden for a while, but a
couple of days ago I finally went out to dig some potatoes and pick some beans.
But I was greeted with an unhappy sight. My beautiful garden and the early
rains were yielding a bumper biomass… but it was an inedible one. Weeds!
Worse yet, I had planted six rows of potatoes and seven rows
of beans and my yield was a 5-gallon bucket full of potatoes and enough beans
for two meals. Nuts! I got little of what I wanted and way more of
what I didn’t want!
So instead of harvesting - my time was spent weeding. And as
I weeded I was thinking, “This is not what I had in mind.”
Then it occurred to me that God probably pondered the same
thought too. After all, when He created
the world all was good – for a while. But perfection ended all too soon – “weeds”
of sin began to grow – and they choked out the anticipated fruit. Was this what
He had in mind?
My thoughts went to what God might be thinking of me and the
results to-date in my life. When He goes out to the “garden” does He find an inedible
biomass or much anticipated fruit? I
couldn’t bear the thought that He might say of the produce of my life, “This is
not what I had in mind!”
We have all been called, as John the Baptist said to the
Pharisees, “To bear fruit in keeping with repentance.” When we plant a garden
we expect it to produce fruit. God created us. And, if we allow and accept it,
He plants His mercy, grace and forgiveness in us. He then expects good fruit
from us.
There is great news for those who have accepted God’s gifts.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in
him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing. You did not
choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that
will last.” John 15:5, 16a
We’ve just celebrated 125 years as a church. Our theme for
this celebration was “May all who come behind us find us faithful.” Simple edits would make that theme, “May
God, and all who come behind us, find us fruitful!”
I don’t want to be a weed patch! So, I’m thankful that if I stay close –
attached – to the Vine, I can produce the fruit He had in mind when He
“planted” me. And I look forward to someday hearing Him say, “Well done! This
is what I had in mind!” I hope you want
the same. Together, let’s grow to go and produce His fruit!
Committed to producing for Him - Brown thumbs and all,
Ron
