Volunteers

Our garden did not do very well this year. It was very hot too early and with little or no rain, the plants dried up. What didn’t dry up, the raccoons and rabbits ate. Guess they didn’t see the “animals keep out” sign I posted. They even ate the watermelons which made me very, very sad. Actually they only ate HALF of each watermelon, which made me mad. Even the okra didn’t produce this year and okra normally does great in hot weather.

However, we did have plants called “volunteers.” Some of the plants that grow the best are those that just seem to appear. I don’t know how they got planted in the garden…whether a bird dropped a seed, a seed from last year germinated, or one of those animals deposited the seeds. But, what I do know is that volunteers are a surprise to me when they come up. They are unexpected, but always delightful and appreciated.

I think that is true in my own spiritual life. There are those attributes that I constantly work on, and some that I seem to excel in NOT being able to grow…such as self control and patience. I work and work at growing in those areas, and the more I work at them, the more elusive they seem to get. But about the time I get discouraged, I find myself in a difficult situation and am surprised at the peace or the gentleness or the kindness that comes out of my life or out of my mouth. And when it does, I am very aware that it has little to do with me and everything to do with the One who works good things into my life…even and maybe especially…when I am not looking.

So I wonder why I strive at developing the fruit of patience and self control. Perhaps I should simply trust that the One who is completely patient and is almighty can do the impossible…which I cannot do. And believe that he wants to do the impossible in me! Maybe I will just rest in Him and let Him grow those amazing serendipities in my life. Then He gets all the credit and glory and I get peace and joy. Maybe I’ll try more trust this week and watch for the “volunteers” to grow.

The seed that brings multiplication

My first garden was only a few plants in a small flower bed near the house. We planted beans and several tomato plants.

One day I was cutting one of our home-grown tomatoes for a salad for dinner. As I examined the inside of the tomato, I realized there were hundreds of seeds inside that one small tomato. Those seeds alone could result in hundreds of new plants, each bearing dozens of tomatoes, and each new tomato would contain hundreds of seeds. That one tomato had the potential of producing thousands of other tomatoes.

At the time, I was studying the first book of the Bible, Genesis, and the story of creation. Of course I had seen the inside of tomatoes all my life, but had never associated it with God's amazing design and provision for multiplication.

From Genesis 1, On the third day, God said, "Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth" and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good" (Genesis 1:11-12).

God created the vegetables and the fruit to be full of seeds. Many times we eat those seeds. But when planting time comes, we plant seeds in the ground, and we watch the harvest come up. It is always exciting to see the new vegetables and fruit begin to form on the plants.

On the sixth day, God created living creatures. THEN God created man in His own image...male and female, He created them. Then God blessed them and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

I am continually amazed that you and I, men and women, were created in the image and the likeness of the eternal God. I still do not completely understand all that entails. We have personality. We are triune beings, having body, soul and spirit. We have the freedom of choice. We are creative. And we have "seed" in us, so that we can multiply and be fruitful. Much of creation has the potential to multiply because God, the Creator, fashioned us with the ability to reproduce.

Gardens are all about multiplication, fruitfulness and reproduction. And because this blog is about the Garden of Life, I remind you that LIFE is about fruitfulness and reproduction.

This principle of multiplication is especially precious and meaningful to me at this season of life because I am going to be a grandmother again. Our family is growing and multiplying and we are very excited.

However, multiplication does not only refer to gardens and to having children. It also applies, and maybe even especially applies, to our spiritual lives.

We are told in the Bible that each person is given talents, gift, abilities. Those abilities are "seeds" God has placed in our lives for the purpose of multiplying His Kingdom.

Jesus told a parable about several servants who were given talents by their master. Some of the servants invested their talents. Because they were wise, they were rewarded by the master. However, one was afraid of the master, and as a result he hid his talent until the master returned, rather than using it in a way that would cause it to multiply. What he had was subsequently taken away from him and given to others who had used their talents wisely.

This parable refers to God as the master and to us as those who serve Him, and applies to the talents and gifts He has given to us. We are not to hide them, but to use them for His Kingdom and His glory.

What has God given to you? What is the seed in your life? You may not think your gifts or talents are worth much. But each of us has been given something by God and His gifts are ALWAYS valuable.

Seed must be released for it to grow. If you hold onto the seed for yourself and hid it from others, it will not reproduce. It will not touch the lives of those around you. But even the tinest seeds can grow into huge plants.

God uses the most comon and seemingly insignificant items for His purposes. Moses had a rod which God used to bring about miracles. Gideon had a trumpet God used to defeat the enemy. One small child had 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread which Jesus multiplied supernaturally to feed more than 5000 people. Peter had a small boat and a fishing net.

A woman in the Old testament (1 Samuel 17:8-16) had a very small amount of oil and flour which she was going to use to make the final meal for her and her son before they died during a famine. However, she made the loaf of bread and gave it to God's prophet, Elijah. Afterwards, her oil vessel was never empty and the flour did not dimish. She and her son ate many meals from it until the famine was over.

What they had was "seed." God multiplied the seed and caused it to grow and multiply.

There was a time in our lives when we moved to an expensive area of the nation and money was very tight. We barely had enough to pay our rent, our utilities and purchase what we needed. As we prayed and sought the Lord, He directed us to give away some of the finances we did have. We obeyed. Shortly after that I noticed that though the four of us were eating cereal every day, the box was not emptying. And we drank milk each day, but the milk carton was not emptying. We ate from the cereal box and drank from the gallon carton of milk every day for two weeks and neither ran out. One day, I was concerned because I had driven our car for more than one week and the gauge indicated that the gas tank was full. Charlie took the car to the gasoline station and tried to put more gas in the tank, and none would go in. The tank was full. God was supernaturally multiplying what we needed.

Ask the Lord to show you what you have that is seed. Maybe it is financial. Maybe your seed is a gift of finances you are to give to someone in great need. Your seed may be an experience you had in the past that will touch the life of someone else who needs compassion and understanding. It may be an area of brokenness in your life where God has healed you and brough victory. Now you can minister freedom and encouragement to others who are walking in a similar place of failure or defeat. Maybe your seed is a kind word or a smile. Maybe your seed is a prayer you pray for the sick. We each have a voice. We can use our voice to speak the Word of God into the lives of those who are discouraged, fearful or dying. We can tell others of His love. His Word brings life.

God's creation if full of potential. Do not ignore your seed, or hide it. Let God show you what He has given to you as a gift, that you are to give away, and invest in the lives of others. As you do, He will multiply it for His Kingdom.