“The LORD God planted a garden…Out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food.” Ge 2:2-9.
When I was a little girl living in Burlington with my family, Daddy planted this huge garden. Well, it probably seemed huge to me because I was only 8-9 years old. I can still close my eyes and visualize the patch of yard that ran along-side our house. I would walk through the carport, turn to the right and on my left was Mother’s clothesline where I ‘helped her’ with the laundry. I use the word help loosely since I certainly couldn’t reach the line. With the clothesline to my left directly in front on me was Daddy’s beautiful multi-rowed garden where stakes were driven into the earth and tomatoes of all sizes hung from the plants. There were rows of green beans and other vegetables. There are such warm memories tucked into my heart when I think of Daddy’s garden.
I have started reading a book called Chasing Vines, written by Beth Moore. She brought up a question for which I have never considered. She refers to our morning Bible verse. ‘God made it to spring up. It’s a wonder that God would choose to slowly grow what He could have simply created grown. Why on earth would He go to the trouble to plant a garden forced to sprout rather than commanding it into existence, full bloom? Because God likes watching things grow.’ Chasing Vines, p. 17. What a marvelous revelation that helps us better understand why the important Christian principle of waiting is used so frequently by God. It is for God’s pleasure that His eye stays on us every second of every day. He doesn’t want to miss one moment of our growth from flesh to spirit...spiritual baby to spiritual warrior. Just think about how much you and I would have missed out on if God gave us grown children instead of infants. We would have missed the joy and experience of the day to day growth and tender fellowship shared between parent and child. I believe this principle is why God took the Israelite's around the long way to the Promised Land instead of the direct path. I believe it is why God delays fulfilling every desire that lives in our heart. I believe the waiting has to do with fellowship and divine revelations shared between the Creator and the created. God could instantly give all of us every single desire ‘full grown’ but He understands the beauty of growth and the process of our shared pilgrimage with Him.
If you find yourself waiting on something from God which most of us are, fully embrace the journey. It is marked with daily blessings, tender moments, divine dependence and the marvelous movement of a miraculous God acting on behalf of each of us. Don’t rush the yield! ‘God is not looking for a store-bought tomato. He wants the real thing, raised by His own hands, hard won as it is.’ P. 19
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