Gardening with Great Expectations for Harvesting

“She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.” Proverbs 31:16

Wouldn’t it be silly to plant a garden without expecting to reap a harvest? It seems equally ridiculous to stand over a field and expect something to grow without putting seeds, plants or effort into the ground. The same goes for the gardens of our lives. We can’t expect a harvest without nurturing and investing in them. Gardening requires hope and hard work to reap fruitfulness from our labors.

Wait for it.

I’m a “wanna-be” gardening enthusiast with great expectations. My grandmother gardened and my father followed in her path. Sadly, I haven’t reached their “green thumb” status. But, one thing I’ve learned from gardening is that it’s all about the wait–waiting with the hope of reaping. It’s the kind of waiting that motivates.

I love sinking my teeth into ice cold watermelon after a hot, summer day. I could buy one at the store or farmer’s market for instant gratification. However, there’s something really neat about planting a seedling, watering it, and watching a watermelon grow right before my eyes. I get excited, check its growth every day, protect and pamper it, until, one day—full maturity!

(Sweet goodness, my mouth is watering! Yum!)

Our lives are like gardening endeavors that take planning and patience. We set goals, prep workspaces, plant ideas, nurture projects and expect a harvest. And, when they don’t yield the results we desire, hope drives us to get up and try again.

Believing in what we can’t see gives us the patience to work toward reaping fruit or reaching goals. Like the Bible mentions in Romans 8:25, “But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.” Some of us wait more patiently than others and some of us rush the process.

Reap the Rewards

Waiting (especially for a watermelon) can be excruciating. Unfortunately, harvesting crops doesn’t happen overnight. Good gardeners work and wait for the rewards. Experience should remind us that we:

• Can’t rush the harvest time.
• Can’t ignore the garden while we wait.
• Can’t harvest too soon or too late.

We can’t speed up the harvesting process without cutting corners and threatening the quality of the product or completion of the goal.

God expects a good harvest from us and gives us ways to reap that good crop in four areas of our lives:

1. Spiritually
   “For he that soweth to this flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” Galatians 6:8
2. Physically
   “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Galatians 6:9
3. Relationally
   “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13
4. Monetarily
   “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6:20-21

Expectations for reaping from our gardens and lives are great. But, we must work, wait patiently and remember that harvesting only comes in due season.

“Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.” Proverbs 31:31

Bring It Home

Are you expecting a harvest that needs nurturing while you wait?

Praying for you as we grow together,

From My Heart & Home,
Smiles, BRC