God our Caretaker

So I've taken up gardening. The kitchen window is cluttered with little anthropologie coffee cups all containing little seedlings. My hope is that these plants that are barely peeking out of the soil will grow and be of use for my family and whoever else I can give these vegetables to. I woke up this morning to get my coffee and do my usual routine of seeing if there is any sign of life besides seeing only dirt every morning for the past week. everyday...no sign. But then today came..LIFE. in just about every cup. finally something. I feel like one of the most gratifying things is to start from sratch, planting seeds, and seeing them grow. Slowly but surely they do grow. Of course, forgetful as I am, I forgot to water a small tomato plant I had outside on the porch, so it shriveled up and I thought it was a gonner. I haven't seen a plant look more dead before. In denial I brought it in, watered it anyway and stuck in it the sun again. I left to go to church and a concert with Colin, and we came back and low and behold my plant wasn't only alive but it grew even taller. I basically know nothing about gardening and am in excitement that there is life happening before my eyes. As I looked at them today, I got an immediate parrallel of how God gets so much pleasure out of giving us life, looking after us, and seeing us grow to be fruitful for His glory. These plants have come to life with my lack of gardening know-how, and I just think of how much better of a gardener God is in our lives. He gives us living water and relationship with his Son brings us into eternity with Him and allows us to live with the blessing of constant communication with Him in every moment of our lives. He doesn't let us go through this life alone, and he has a contant eye on us through our triumphs and our struggles. Even when when we are facing things to where we think we could never get through or rise back up again, He does it and gives us hope. Colin was telling me how he believes God allows trials and suffering to happen for us to learn - that they are actually blessings- to allow us to become stronger and to build our charater. I know that's true. Just like that tomato plant that was nearly dead God not only brings us back to life but makes us grow even more and brings our souls to new heights. The things God allows are not purposless. They are full of purpose and actually life-giving in the end. We have a God who is the most excellent caretaker and we have all the reason to trust in him.

He will never leave you nor forsake you.

Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord,

 

I will be joyful in God my Savior.
The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to tread on the heights.
Habakkuk 3:17-9