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Believing
God for an Abundant Harvest
by Barbara
Cerullo
This is the time of year we gardeners just love…we get
to be outside in the Lord’s beautiful creation, getting our hands dirty and
planting every kind of seed imaginable. I just love it!
When we take time to prepare the soil for our gardens,
we’re laying the proper foundation for our seeds to grow and produce the best
Harvest possible.
With
the correct soil, seed, light, water, fertilizer, and weeding, the results can
be dynamic.
However, gardeners also recognize the need for patience.
Some
time must pass between planting our seeds and actually tasting those wonderful
ripe, sweet tomatoes we enjoy so much.
If you’re anything like me, you sometimes get tired of
waiting on God for the spiritual Harvests you’ve sought.
You’ve
Sown your Seeds, given them a “Specific Assignment,” watered them with your
prayers and expectancy, and now you’re just plain weary of waiting.
When the psalmist David was waiting for God’s help and
deliverance, he “strengthened himself in
the LORD his God” (1
Samuel 30:6).
In
the same way, you can encourage yourself as you wait on Him to release your
Harvest. The Psalms are full of examples of when David reminded himself of the
Lord’s goodness and faithfulness, and reading these great passages will
strengthen your faith as you wait on Him.
Maybe like me, you’ve Sown Seeds with a “Specific
Assignment” for your children or grandchildren to come to Christ.
Maybe
things even look darker right now rather than brighter. Again, I say to you,
keep praying and believing God for your Harvest.
If
you’re the only one standing in the gap for your family, keep on standing. It’s
amazing what just one person can accomplish in God!
Tend Your Garden
I get so excited when I see my garden growing. It’s
definitely worth the work and
the wait.
But I know that an abundant Harvest doesn’t happen
automatically. I must tend to my plants and pick off any pests I find.
I
have to pull off the “suckers” on my tomatoes, and I must pull up any weeds
that might start to rob my plants of their nutrition.
The most enjoyable part of the process for me is the
sense of expectation I feel as I look forward to seeing the fruit begin to bud
when I know I’ve faithfully done my part.
In the same way, God wants to expectantly use our
faith as we anticipate our Harvest from the Seeds we’ve Sown into His Kingdom.
We
need to carefully tend to the spiritual “garden” we’ve planted, and this means
picking off any “pests” or pulling off any “suckers” the enemy would use to rob
us of our abundant Harvest.
We also must be diligent to pull up any “weeds” of
impatience, distraction, or doubt.
As
we faithfully watch over the precious Seeds we’ve planted, we can look forward
to receiving God’s “fruit” with great anticipation.
This
is our faith in action, and it pleases the Lord when we trust Him like this (Hebrews 11:6).
Look for Your Harvest
A few years ago, our son Ben and his wife Jessica
planted an amazing organic garden.
Ben
made beautiful raised planter boxes, put in a nice sprinkler system, and built
a trellis for the beans and other climbing plants.
Jessica had started the seeds indoors in the late
winter, and our grandchildren enjoyed peeking each week to see how much the
seeds had grown.
When
they transplanted the seedlings to the outside, some of them didn’t make it.
That was a bit disappointing, but it didn’t stop Jessica and the children. They
just started new seedlings.
Well, what got off to a bit of a shaky start ended up
in a great abundance of produce! The kids did a great job, and they learned
many great lessons along the way.
They
did the proper preparation, refused to give up when they initially faced
setbacks, and then looked expectantly for their Harvest.
As I reflected on how proud I was of my grandchildren
as they began their journey into gardening, I realized that this is exactly how
our Heavenly Father feels when His children learn to plant and care for the
Seeds they Sow into His Kingdom. He sees your faith and obedience, and He’s proud of you, my friend.
You may have to wait a while, but the Lord has a
Harvest on His mind for you. He loves you and wants to give you the desires of
your heart.
Look
expectantly for your Harvest. I’m convinced it’s on the way to you right now!
Your friend on the journey,
Barbara Cerullo is devoted to authentically
sharing God’s love with women. She authors From Barbara’s Heart,
where her spiritual insights, heartwarming family stories, and delightful
anecdotes encourage readers with God’s faithfulness. Her husband, David, is CEO
of Inspiration Ministries.
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