Exploring the Cycle of Life: From Seeds Planted to New Life and Everything in Between

We planted new seeds for our veggie garden indoors yesterday. This has been quite a process, as it is a new way of doing things. We have been using our indoor Tower Garden continuously for the past 2 years, so for that we have had to plant some seeds into the rock wool every 6 months or so. However, planting seeds for our outdoor straw bale and vegetable garden is a new adventure for us.

Our Tower Garden

As Kevin and I sat at our dinner table, preparing the seedling trays, we both were amazed at the variation in size, color and texture of each seed. God designed each seed intricately different so that not only would we be able to distinguish them from each other, but we would also delight in their differences. We were fascinated by the fact that some seeds are so tiny, yet will grow into a delicious vegetables this summer! Some seeds were round, some were textured, some were oblong, some were grey and others were brown.

Yesterday's sermon was about Hebrews 11:4-6. The pastor spent quite a bit of time in Genesis 4:1-10, explaining the story of Cain and Abel. Both of them were from the seed-line of Adam and Eve, yet Abel was counted as righteous, but Cain was evil and murdered his brother Abel. As you can imagine, this made for an interesting discussion between Kevin and me as we were planting the vegetable seeds.

Then when I went to bed, I read a excerpt in Fil Anderson's book "Breaking the Rules: Trading Performance for Intimacy with God". I was amazed at how this theme of seeds had kept on reoccurring throughout my day. The passage that caught my eyes was "The most authentic and meaningful friendship with God comes through life's most shattering experiences. If grapes and grain are not crushed, there can be no wine and bread. If the seed doesn't fall to the ground and die, there can be no harvest. If our life is not broken, there will not be the deepest and best camaraderie with God."

I lay there, gob-smacked, thinking of my broken life. It was as if the light had finally come on for me, and I saw clearly why my diagnosis of breast cancer has been worth it! I turned to Kevin, and shared my insight with him. Then I read the excerpt to him. We looked at each other in awe. God loves us so much, that he would bring all of these lessons about seeds to us on one day! This friendship with God is a real thing!

When I woke up this morning, I couldn't stop thinking about the vegetable seeds that we planted that have to die, in order for them to start growing into vegetables. The seeds are worthless in their little seed packets. They have to be placed into the ground. A song that I learned as a young person came to mind:

The work is Thine, O Christ, our Lord,

The cause for which we stand;

And be­ing Thine, ’twill ov­er­come

Its foes on ev­ery hand.

Yet grains of wheat, be­fore they grow,

Are bur­ied in the earth be­low;

All that is old doth per­ish there,

To form a life both new and fair;

So too are we

From self and sin made free.

Thro’ suf­fer­ing Thou, O Christ, did go

Unto Thy throne above;

And lead­est now the self same way

Those true in faith and love;

So lead us, then, tho’ suf­fer­ings wait,

To share Thy king­dom’s heav’n­ly state,

Thy death has brok­en Sa­tan’s might,

And leads the faith­ful to the light;

Eternal light,

From dark­ness in­to light.

Thou hast, O Savior, led the way

Through agony and death;

O give, we pray, yet more and more

Thy Spirit's living breath!

Send messengers o'er land and sea

To bring Thy children all to Thee;

Thy name can save, They name makes free;

We consecrate ourselves to Thee

As servants true,

As warriors brave and true.

Of course I learned it in German, and had to find a translation into English. I am so glad I did, and can share it with you! Click HERE if you would like to hear it.

Our mini greenhouse

So friend, no matter what is going on in your life right now, be encouraged! All those broken dreams and your broken body are ways for you to grow into a brand new being. In the end all the things you have accomplished mean nothing, if they are not changing you and making you more like Jesus. God wants a friendship with you, open up to him!

You have been given a new birth. It was from a seed that cannot die. This new life is from the Word of God which lives forever.

1 Peter 1:23 NLT

In Grace until next time,