A Time to Plant

A time to plant..(Eccl 3:2c).

Then the LORD God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he had made. (Gen. 2:8)

Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.  (Galatians 6:7)

At Winter Camp 2012 Kyle Howard (one of great Youth Pastors) shed the light on a truth tucked away in John 15 about how God is described as the vinedresser or gardener if you will.   To think about a gardener they do a lot a work.  They are literally on their knees, using their hands to cultivate the soil, and plant what it is they are expecting to grow.  GOD is and has been a "hands on" god as it relates to trying to cultivate our surroundings to nurture us into growing into the people He envisioned us being. 

Think about it...you, each of your were planted into  two people, those two people came together, then you were planted in certain surroundings (good, bad and indifferent -dirt or soil if you will), then you grew roots in that environment; sprouting foliage.   At some point you had to be moved (this may have been a change of school, neighborhood, etc) because it was time, and were replanted again with the hope of growing some more (this could've been a new job, a marriage, etc.) which is always to the Glory of GOD, His desire is and always has been no matter where He's led/planted you is that you'd grow and glorify Him.  He reminded Adam of this when He planted (placed) Him in the garden, that He'd take care of it and even his desire for Adam was to reproduce. (beyond reproduction in the physical sense....do you reproduce Christians(The Great Commission)?)

There is another way of approaching this devotion, and it's contained in the Galatians 6:7 verse as it relates to what are you planting?  Really....I talk to people, I read posts and I am shocked that so many people are discontented with WHERE they work, and I offer wonder....WHAT DO YOU PLANT?  I mean it's quite simple no farmer or gardener plants one thing, and reaps something completely different.  So if you want a wonderfully diverse spiritual fruit bearing work environment.....guess what YOU have to plant?  YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW!!!!!!!

GOD hasn't changed wherever it is He has planted you.....His desire is that you'd grow, glorify Him, and that you'd bear fruit....not for you, but for those He has around you.  Are you, is the question?   What is it that you provide for your family, friends, co-workers, the body of Christ, or are you a weed that chokes out life in the places your are?  No matter how you approach this devotion GOD is the gardener of our hearts, and while you are here (since we were made in His image, with His some of his attributes) He expects you to do some gardening (planting) so that come harvest time HE is Glorified....so you have been given today, and I pray you begin to PLANT seeds that HONOR & GLORIFY HIM!  LGLP