We have great plans for our little family farm, all sorts of ideas. In the spring we plan to get some laying hens and some meat chickens. We are planning our garden, what sort of things to plant and where. Dreaming about all the canning we will do. There is so much to hope for, of course, we have our neglected apple trees which I know nothing about so there is research that needs to happen there. Finally, there is the grapes they are growing as I type this and they look like a plentiful crop. Again my mind is racing around thinking about buying some netting to protect the crop, making grape jelly, maybe even some juice.
All of these plans got me thinking (if you haven’t already guessed that) For next years plans there will be a lot of work, breaking the ground and preparing the soil. Then comes planting and watering and weeding and weeding and weeding. At last the harvest. As for the grapes I have done nothing to bring them along at this point I am just concerned about protecting this abundant harvest and then at the right moment harvesting them.
As I ponder all this it does not surprise me how many illustrations there are in the Bible about farming, weeds and harvests. I feel a connectedness with our Lord through this process. He has great plans for mankind, He picks and chooses the time each of us will be born. Where and when where planned out before the beginnings of this world. Then he uses His workers here to help prepare the soil, to plant seeds, some to help protect those seeds and young plants and then others at just the right time to harvest them.
Of things hoped for… the Lord hopes for each of us to know him. Just as I hope my harvest will be plentiful so does God hope for His harvest to be plentiful.
Who are we? Are we the little seed just starting to grow, the young plant, are we the neglected apple trees with next to no fruit in desperate need of pruning or the plentiful grape branches?
Are we taking care of the crop that He has given us to tend or neglecting it?
Today I am choosing to join with Him in hoping for things to come and tending to my little crop of things hoped for!