Liz’s Morning Devotional based upon Upper Room
September 24, 2021
Read Luke 13:6-9
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! God is waiting patiently for us!
Last year, when many people were at home because of the pandemic, they decided to plant vegetable gardens. The seeds and soil were flying off the shelves of the local nurseries and plant stores. It is fun to get caught up in the excitement of raising your own vegetables. You think about the wonderful taste, the freshness that only comes from home grown, and maybe even the money you’ll save by raising your own vegetables.
Most families would diligently prepare their soil and plant their seeds. This became a great way for families to work together. They would laugh and be joyful when the seedlings poked their heads through the soil. As the plants slowly grew to maturity, some family members lost their enthusiasm for daily check-ins when there seemed to be no notable changes. They might go days before returning to the garden. When the plants began to bloom, again there was a surge of excitement for soon they would be able to reap their harvest. Again, there was a new period of waiting that sometimes seems endless. Finally, the first fruits of their labor were ready to eat, and the family feasted on their vegetables.
Imagine if God grew impatient with us when we were moving through periods where there seems to be no change. During our journey on this earth, our lives resemble the family growing the vegetable plants. When we first accept our Lord and Savior, we nurture and fertilize our new found faith: we read the Bible, we go to Church, and we pray to God. Somewhere along the way we become less excited and some days we forget to pray, and we don’t always attend church or read our Bible.
When something happens in our lives, like the blooming of our plants, we regain our desire to spend time with God and resume daily prayers, Bible reading, and attending church. This cycle will repeat itself innumerable times during our lives. Finally, when our fruit reaches maturity, we feast and celebrate with our Lord and Savior. God is the always patient gardener awaiting the fruit. Thanks be to God!
Loving God, Thank You for loving us. May we grow each day in our faith as we nurture ourselves by spending time with You. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: Even when I’m impatient, God is patient with me.
In the bulb, there is a flower . . .! Pastor Liz
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