That’s the theme on my porch this Sunny Sunday afternoon while listening to Nebraska’s NPR’s classical, jazz and talk radio station.  It’s the simple things in life I enjoy.  Sunny patched cloud sky, chirping birds, watching people as they ride their bikes & those driving on by slowly with a friendly wave.  That is until the rain, hail, lightning & thunder storm hit about quarter to two…bout time my pickup got a wash, guess my chances of mowing the lawn will have to wait.

After a long week of fasting, I simply get to watch God’s demonstration of beauty & power as the dark clouds, flashing lightning and crackling thunder stroll in.  You don’t have to go far to find evidence of God’s existence… who else can control what happens in the sky, make the trees, plants & green grass grow?  God alone.   Reminds me of the seeds I enjoy growing… let me retract that…seeds I enjoy planting, again only God can make it grow.  Huge pumpkins and mammoth sunflowers have always been my favorite seeds to scattered along the ground.   I appreciate watching a simple grow into something beautiful, enormous and produce a bountiful harvest in such a short time.  

         Reminds me of Adam “¹⁵ The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it.” Genesis 2:15  (NLT).  I get to plant it, water it, fertilize it, prune it & harvest it… but I cannot give it light or give it warmth, only God can.  Our lives are so similar to those tiny seeds.  Whether being a baby and growing into an adult, or spiritual speaking, when we first accept Jesus, which God makes possible through others “tending the garden” on this world, only then is it possible for the seed of faith to be planted in our hearts.

This brings me to the scripture in 1 Corinthians 3:6-9.   “⁶ I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. ⁷ It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. ⁸ The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. ⁹ For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building” (NLT).

Planting a seed in the ground, and a seed planted in someone’s soul have much in common. Both seeds are planted into darkness.  When this darkness is exposed to the seed and water, a new life begins to take place.  When tended by watering, fertilizing & pruning results in unimaginable growth.  Our exposure to God’s Word and allowing time to be saturated in His presence is important for growth, this is our watering, fertilization and where things in life that need to be confronted, exposed and pruned.  Though there are many things & people “weeds” in life that try to influence and choke out our growth as mentioned in Matthew 13:24-29.  We can rest assure that our obedience to build our relationship with Christ and our actions to speak with love will result in spiritual fruit being evident in our selves and to our neighbors.  I remember the earlier stages of my faith when I experienced what Paul called the “transforming of our minds.”  The problems of the world became smaller, my purpose and love for others became bigger.  The troubles of this world began to no longer surprise me as Jesus already said “In this world we will have trouble.”  Over the years this realization has calmed my soul, I no longer get upset or overly worried as I used to.  Began to see things in a different light, others began to see it to.

²² But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT).  

I wish I could have seen a redwood tree grow… I still yet have to see one in person, but to imagine that it also started off as a small seed.  How much more important are our  ives to God than the redwood tree?….Truth!