God's Purpose and Timing
I am not a farmer. I actually live right downtown in Nashville. I live in the city and have a tiny yard, and I am not an expert in growing anything. However, I do plant quite a few flower seeds and bulbs in our little garden, and I enjoy seeing the flowers grow. I love to watch as the daffodils come up in the spring, and my husband and I notice each tulip as it opens, and we marvel at the number of different colors that grow from similar looking bulbs.
When I’m planting, if I accidentally dump my seeds out of their packages, I cannot tell the difference between a seed that is going to grow into a red flower or a seed that is going to grow into purple flower. I cannot look at a bulb and tell you if it will grow into a daffodil or a tulip. However, I know that God created each seed and each bulb with a specific purpose in mind. When I look at the seeds or the bulbs, unless I read the instructions on the package, I’m not sure when the flowers will bud; will it be May or not until July? But God knows when the conditions are perfect for growth for that seed.
God has given each seed beauty, strength and life to accomplish God’s goals for that particular seed.
It will grow into the type of flower that God intended it to be. God has also given that seed or bulb an inner calendar to tell it in which season it is going to sprout and grow. I am in awe of God’s creativity and attention to detail in nature!
Because God is so creative and attentive with plants, I feel sure that God is creative and attentive with people too. I wonder in what ways our lives would be different if we truly believed that God created every person with beauty, intentionality and strength? If we were convinced that people, like the seeds and the bulbs, have God-given, unique, God-created purpose and if we trusted God’s timing for growth in the proper season?
In the wintertime, all I see is the dirt in my little garden, no trace of the underground seeds or the coming flowers. In our lives, there are some seasons when we may not observe purpose or growth in ourselves or in others. Do we trust and watch for God’s purpose and timing for growth in ourselves and in the people around us like I watch and wait for the little shoots of green to break through the ground in the spring? As we trust and watch for God’s purpose and timing, how might this change our opinion of, and the way we care for, ourselves and those around us? Might we nurture, watch for, and enjoy growth in people like I do in the springtime flowers.
Matthew 6:26-34 English Standard Version (ESV)
26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?[a] 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
When I’m planting, if I accidentally dump my seeds out of their packages, I cannot tell the difference between a seed that is going to grow into a red flower or a seed that is going to grow into purple flower. I cannot look at a bulb and tell you if it will grow into a daffodil or a tulip. However, I know that God created each seed and each bulb with a specific purpose in mind. When I look at the seeds or the bulbs, unless I read the instructions on the package, I’m not sure when the flowers will bud; will it be May or not until July? But God knows when the conditions are perfect for growth for that seed.
God has given each seed beauty, strength and life to accomplish God’s goals for that particular seed.
Because God is so creative and attentive with plants, I feel sure that God is creative and attentive with people too. I wonder in what ways our lives would be different if we truly believed that God created every person with beauty, intentionality and strength? If we were convinced that people, like the seeds and the bulbs, have God-given, unique, God-created purpose and if we trusted God’s timing for growth in the proper season?
In the wintertime, all I see is the dirt in my little garden, no trace of the underground seeds or the coming flowers. In our lives, there are some seasons when we may not observe purpose or growth in ourselves or in others. Do we trust and watch for God’s purpose and timing for growth in ourselves and in the people around us like I watch and wait for the little shoots of green to break through the ground in the spring? As we trust and watch for God’s purpose and timing, how might this change our opinion of, and the way we care for, ourselves and those around us? Might we nurture, watch for, and enjoy growth in people like I do in the springtime flowers.
Matthew 6:26-34 English Standard Version (ESV)
26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?[a] 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Comments
Post a Comment