“But if you will not listen to me and carry out all these commands. . . . You will plant seed in vain” (Lev. 26:14, 16)
Expanded Passage: Leviticus 26:14-17
Each year our church plants a community garden. Behind the fellowship hall, four generations pull weeds, snack on sugar snap peas, and watch pumpkins balloon into massive rust-colored orbs. Like most gardens, it is a place of wonder and delight!
The whole process begins in late winter when the children plant seeds in clear, plastic cups and place them by the window. Over several weeks, we water, rotate, and wait. All the while, the possibility of new life stirs excitement in us! Sometimes, that excitement evolves into restlessness. More than one child has pocketed a few seeds to bury in February only to find mush come spring! Together, we learn the hard lessons of submitting to nature’s laws. Fruitful planting requires us to obey the rules of the garden: to listen, wait, and cultivate faithfully.
Our Heavenly Gardener also gives us laws for fruitful life. Abundant life thrives in loving submission to God’s good commands. However, from Eden until now, humankind often resists God’s ways of life. Instead, we grasp. We hurry, hustle, and attempt to create life on our own terms and timeline. We quickly find that our attempts to “make” life are as fruitful as planting seeds in frozen soil.
Abundant life flourishes in submission to the Divine Gardener. Our Creator God will show us the way as we listen and obey.
Plant a seed and patiently wait for the fruits of faith.
Michaela Moore enjoys country road runs, coffee with friends, beautiful books, and long, laugh-filled walks with her husband and co-pastor, Jackson. She has an MA in ministry and spiritual formation from Wesley Seminary (IN).
© 2025 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
