In the beginning, God created every living creature and plant, and it was all good. He even created a beautiful garden (Genesis 2:8) wherein Adam and Eve lived until sin caused them to be driven out. (Genesis 3:23) God later revealed His plan — first stated in a promise to Abraham (Genesis 17:8) and later to Moses (Exodus 3:8) — of a land for His people which He described as a land “flowing with milk and honey” (Exodus 3:8); a description of a land of bounty. However, after this place became Israel’s home, sin once again brought about being taken out of the land.
Though God had Isaiah prophecy regarding destruction in Jerusalem and captivity because of sinfulness, there was still a message of hope regarding the preservation of a remnant and a glorious future. Even amid the warnings, God continually held out the opportunity for repentance and return to Him. His desire was (and is) to bless, not punish, and to preserve, not destroy. We too must continually be mindful of our own need of faithfulness to God and His Will. As God’s people, we are to recognize what He desires the world to see being produced in our lives individually and collectively.
Note the following picture from Isaiah as he prophesied of better times.
“(10) I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. (11) For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations.” (Isaiah 61:10-11 ESV)
All around us nature does what God designed it to do. Through the transition of the seasons, we witness the growth and life of God’s creation. Sprouts come up from the earth and seed that is sown in gardens and fields springs up as it was intended to be. As a part of God’s wondrous creation, what is sprouting up from within us? What does the world see being produced in our life? Are we allowing God to cultivate righteousness in and among us? Is the seed of God’s Word (Luke 8:11; James 1:21; 1 Peter 1:23) taking root in our life so as to cause “righteousness and praise to sprout up” in the sight of the world around us?
Perhaps you are thinking this focus would have been a better one for Spring rather than Fall. However, every season and day of the year is the time for us to grow, blossom, and bear the fruit of righteousness as a witness to the world of what God intends life to be all about. May the sprouting continue as we live lives cultivated by God.
Have a great day REMAINING IN THE MASTER GARDENER’S CARE!
Carl
