“For as the soil makes the sprout come up
and a garden causes seed to grow,
so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise
spring up before all nations.”
Isaiah 61:11
Dear Father,
Even my simple mind knows that seeds don’t sprout from porcelain, flowers don’t grow on chandeliers, and fruit doesn’t ripen on stained glass windows. Nah ah. They have to have soil; dark, moist, rich dirt. And what is dirt made of? Ground up rocks and decaying plant life and animals – the stuff that we think of as yucky. And where do seeds come from? The death of a fruit. Something has to die, be buried in a dark place, given appropriate time, then up comes new life. From death comes life. From darkness comes light. How fitting that you chose the springtime of the year for the resurrection of Jesus. It seems that all of creation points to you but of course it does because you are the Creator. Praise springs up all around me as I behold the new life this time of year offers. The freshness of newborn sprouts, tiny peeping buds, tender green leaves and the cool, moist earth beneath my toes all remind me of your creativity and presence. Help me remember that growth is a process and it starts often in the dark and dirt. That is not the pretty part but the absolute necessary part. In time life shoots up, up, up until the bloom unfolds full of your glory ready to bear fruit. Sometimes it is hard to keep my hands out of the picture. I want to see the seed sprouting underground but to remove the soil would endanger the plant. And sometimes I want to get my hands in the dirt with my own fruit, my children. I want to help you along but what you need is for me to be patient and allow you to develop them as their roots dig in deep. Cut flowers may look elegant in a nice crystal vase but they quickly wither. What we need are live plants bearing fruit and bringing praise to you. Glory to the Most High God for springtime and new life, new hope, new reminders of a risen Savior.
Love,
Penny
