This summer I was
bequeathed with a tomato plant. I
adopted it because I was the last stop before the garbage heap. So, I rose to the challenge, and took the tomato plant home.
I had grand ideas of luscious tomatoes all appearing on
the vine in late summer due to my careful attention. I decided to plant it close to the porch for
protection and sun exposure and a reminder that I needed to water it.
I knew that my past track record in plant care was not a
good one, but I was hoping that this time would be different. And it was.
It grew and grew and became tall and healthy. But no tomatoes. How long until I would see the fruit?
Today marks the first Sunday of Advent. Our children know this season well. We have been observing Advent for about four
years now. The Scripture reading, the
Christmas hymns, the prayers, and of course the candle lighting. You should have seen the first year we
attempted to include Advent readings in our Christmas celebration. It was interesting. Children crying, Chris wondering if this was
worth it, and several near misses involving fire.
Now we are several years into it and our older children
know all that will happen each night until Christmas. It just flows. Or, semi-flows, depending on how our two year
old is feeling. The years and repetition
of looking expectantly for Jesus on Christmas Day are becoming a part of their
own waiting. The seeds we planted and
the watering and care we have given to this part of our family worship is
bearing real fruit now. We can taste and
see that yes, the Lord is good.
For several years now, I have been leading the children
in a morning family devotional. It was
nothing short of painful for a long time.
The only thing that kept me forging ahead was the Word of God. I could not get around it. God wants me to disciple my children. They need the daily life giving manna of God’s
Word. So, most mornings, we got our
Bibles out, sat on the couch and read and discussed and prayed. The moans and groans slowly started to fade
away and then one day, a little hand tugged at the sleeve of my robe and asked
me when family devotions would begin?
The fruit was showing.
I see a pattern in the beginnings of things that Christ
calls us to do. It is hard to break up
unused, fallow ground. It is especially
hard when you are doing it alone without any fanfare. It becomes tiresome, and discouraging,
doubting thoughts begin to circle overhead.
But then, after the months and years of the same thing, day after day, you
begin to see what He is up to. The seeds
begin to sprout, the growth begins, and then one day, you catch a glimpse of real fruit. For a planter and a tender of a garden of
souls, there is absolutely nothing sweeter than this.
The tomatoes did come.
That beautiful plant that had survived the summer began to be heavy
laden with big green tomatoes. I had to
laugh. It was not until September that
they showed. Much too late I thought. October came and the green tomatoes kept
coming. November was around the corner,
and I was not looking forward to the day when frost or storm would take the
green tomato plant down. I had come so
close. I had decided that I probably
would not attempt to care for another vegetable plant next summer. I certainly was not gifted to grow
anything. Then, one late fall evening, my
husband comes in with some red tomatoes.
“Where did you get those?” “Oh,
from your tomato plant. Those green
tomatoes – they are starting to turn red now.”
What? I laughed out loud and
then, I made a salad. And yes, there
were red tomatoes in our salad that evening.
The fruit had come, and I was in awe of how sweet November fruit can be.
~ Your Fellow Sojourner
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose trust is the LORD.
He is like a tree planted by water,
that sends out its roots by the stream,
and does not fear when heat comes,
for its leaves remain green,
and is not anxious in the year of drought,
for it does not cease to bear fruit.”
(Jeremiah 17:7-8 ESV)
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