Growing With the Help of the Great GardenerSample

In the Waiting

Luke 13:6-9
"6 He also spoke this parable: 'A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, "Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?" 8 But he answered and said to him, "Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. 9 And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down."'"

The fig tree had stood there for three years not producing figs. The owner was ready to cut it down. Don’t we do that too? When something doesn’t work, we just want to drop it.

But here the gardener wants to give the tree some more time, so he asks the owner to wait one more year. Do you also think that this is a long time to wait and see if something will or won’t work? Would you give that much time to waiting and seeing? I’m not so sure I would!

At this time, the gardener will do two things: dig around the tree and give it fertilizer, and then he will expect fruit to come.

Our Heavenly Gardener is doing the same processes with us in our lives. Even though our lives can look fruitless, and maybe they have been fruitless for some time now, he still isn’t ready to cut us down. He sees our potential. He sees what we can be under his loving hands and knowledgeable care.

You can be sure He will dig. He will remove the things around you that don’t nourish. He will cut down the things that pull you in the wrong direction. He will remove the weeds that get in the way, and he will fertilize with his love. He gives new life and heals us with His presence. With his creative hands. For all this to work, there needs to be time. A time that we need to be willing to give Him and ourselves. It is not something that just happens overnight. God knows what time we need.

Are you willing to allow our great Creator Gardener God to work in your life to help you grow to bear fruit and flourish? Are you willing to work together with the Gardener to prune you into being a better person?

Dear Lord of all,

Thank you for being patient with me and for giving me time to respond to your work in my life.

Please continue to dig and fertilize the garden which is my life that I may grow abundantly in you.

Thank you for expecting fruit to come and for helping to grow the good things in my life’s garden.

Amen.