High Hopes on Planting Day - Nanette M. Holloway

Several years ago, when I started my vineyard, hope was high on planting day. All the hard work of preparing the soil, mowing the freshly tamed pasture area where the vines would grow. Then more preparation by digging the holes for the stick-like vines. Then the grape root stocks were finally ready for planting.

The initial hope was that the trimmed twigs that stood two inches out of the ground would grow. The bundle of vines originally twelve inches long, required trimming back to two nodes (or buds where leaves would grow).

Then, after surveying the newly planted vineyard, came the far-off hope that one day they would produce a harvest of table grapes—ripe and ready to eat.

Our walk with Christ is similar. Perhaps in childhood we went to Sunday School and the many teachers planted miniature faith seeds within tiny hearts. The works of faithful servants with hopes and prayers of salvation for the listeners. And all those individual prayer warriors that lifted the growing souls into God’s eternal care and nurture. Always with high expectations of the Lord’s touch in each life.

But maybe others were onlookers of those who attended church with harder hearts and plenty of skepticism for unknown reasons or doubts. Outsiders oblivious to the freedom from sin and guilt that Christ the Savior promises to the surrendered soul. And yet how many seeds were planted in the unbelievers yet to become Jesus Followers?

Only God knows. He is the Master of the garden within each person’s heart. He brings forth faith in His perfect time.

But as Christ Followers, our job is to plant seeds, water and tend the hearts God places within our care. Then He makes the seeds grow, and faith flourishes within the soul.

Scripture for Today

“My work was to plant the seed in your hearts, and Apollos’ work was to water it, but it was God, not we, who made the garden grow in your hearts. The person who does the planting or watering isn’t very important, but God is important because he is the one who makes things grow. Apollos and I are working as a team, with the same aim, though each of us will be rewarded for his own hard work. We are only God’s coworkers. You are God’s Garden, not ours; you are God’s building, not ours” (1^st Corinthians 3:6-9 TLB).