Morning Devotional 040626 Time to Grow

Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room

April 6, 2026

Luke 13:1-9

1 Some who were present on that occasion told Jesus about the Galileans whom Pilate had killed while they were offering sacrifices. 2 He replied, “Do you think the suffering of these Galileans proves that they were more sinful than all the other Galileans? 3 No, I tell you, but unless you change your hearts and lives, you will die just as they did. 4 What about those eighteen people who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them? Do you think that they were more guilty of wrongdoing than everyone else who lives in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you, but unless you change your hearts and lives, you will die just as they did.” 6 Jesus told this parable: “A man owned a fig tree planted in his vineyard. He came looking for fruit on it and found none. 7 He said to his gardener, ‘Look, I’ve come looking for fruit on this fig tree for the past three years, and I’ve never found any. Cut it down! Why should it continue depleting the soil’s nutrients?’ 8 The gardener responded, ‘Lord, give it one more year, and I will dig around it and give it fertilizer. 9 Maybe it will produce fruit next year; if not, then you can cut it down.’”

Good Morning! The Lord gives us time to grow!

As a gardener, I have learned the value of patience. Just because a plant doesn’t bloom or produce fruit when others do, it does not mean it never will. Often, a change of location, fresh soil, or fertilizer will do the trick. 

When I first moved into the parsonage at Madison. There was a sad excuse of an azalea in the area around one of the big Maple trees in the backyard. It was barely a twig. The first spring I was here, it put on a few leaves, but that was it. In that location, it was outside my typical watering area, and honestly, I would forget it was there. 

The next year, I debated digging it up to discard it, but I decided to give it another chance and move it up to the flower garden near the house. Last year, it filled out a little, but it did not bloom. This year, it is producing beautiful pink blooms. It is still small, but beginning to grow into its new space. 

Imagine if God decided to discard us every time we became stagnant on our faith journeys. Our spiritual lives often ebb and flow as our life situations dictate. Sometimes it takes finding a space where others notice and care for us in our times of need. 

May we provide a space of spiritual nourishment for those awaiting growth. 

God of Wisdom, you bless us abundantly! You are wise and patient. Thank you for giving us time to grow. We love you. In Christ’s name we pray, Amen.

Thought for the day: Wait patiently to allow ourselves and others to bear fruit for the Lord.

With time, a simple acorn can produce a mighty oak tree!  Pastor Liz