God Gives the Increase

 

My drive to church takes me down Standifer Gap Road past the turn-off to Gavin and Sandy’s house, up over the ridge where Brent and Sarah used to live, and down past the fire station. You know the section I mean? Around several curves along the flat stretch of road, we eventually come to the area hit hard by the tornado of 2020, and on the left side of the road, right near the Harry’s gas station and convenience store, there has been a lot of ground work this summer for what appears to be a future construction project.

When I first saw the trees coming down and the piles of trunks and branches and such, I felt very discouraged. It is my personal view that we have enough houses and apartments and not enough wild spaces. I realize that I can do little to change what is happening there next to Standifer Gap Road, but I can let God work in me to teach me a lesson through what I observe.  

In the past couple of months, as the ground has remained relatively undisturbed, I have been delighted to see bright goldenrod, tall Jerusalem artichokes, healthy ragweed, and numerous things I can’t name growing on the hillside. No one planned a garden there or worked to place seeds and give them appropriate water. These plants grew because that is the nature of seeds and plants.

There are numerous places in scripture where Jesus and others use the metaphor of sowing seeds to talk about the concept of spreading the gospel. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all record the parable of the sower. Here’s how Mark gives it to us: “The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the ground and goes to bed at night and gets up by day, and the seed sprouts up and grows—how, he himself does not know. The earth produces crops by itself” (4:26-28a). This is how God made the earth. Seeds fall into the ground, and when conditions are right, they sprout and grow.

The principle of sowing and reaping—though in a different context—is eloquently stated in Psalm 126: “Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting” (5). The expected result of sowing is reaping what was planted.

When urging Corinthian believers to maturity, Paul likens sharing the truth of God to planting. He says to the church members, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth” (I Corinthians 3:6)

Here’s my point: God is the one who causes seeds to sprout and grow, both in the natural world and in the spiritual world. Sometimes we share the good news and pray. We weep over friends and loved ones—even strangers—who need the Savior. When we don’t see any growth, it can be very discouraging. But God is at work. God is the one who makes everything work together to accomplish His purpose. The once-barren hillside along Standifer Gap is alive with growth. Every time I drive by it, I see the flourishing, and it gives me encouragement.

I may not see how the seed of truth is germinating in someone’s heart and mind. I can’t observe the leaves uncurling underground and making their way to the light, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.

What is my job? Not to command the sun and rain; I can’t do that. Not to urge the seeds to growth; it doesn’t work that way. My job is to spread the seed and trust God to make it grow. Let’s be encouraged. God is at work.

--Sherry Poff