There is one specific thing about homeowning that I didn’t take seriously when I bought my house: yard work.
Yes, I knew it would be required, but I didn’t consider the investment and commitment to maintaining a beautiful yard. My Daddy has always kept an impeccable yard. I still remember the loud roar of the riding mower on Saturday mornings as he rode past my bedroom window.
My impeccable yard dream had recently become more of a struggle yard reality. My backyard was looking less than stellar, and I was concerned that my five-year-old investment was headed in the wrong direction.
Then enters my daddy. He and my mom came out for a visit where I explained my backyard dilemma. It was dry, patchy and becoming quite ugly. This dilemma was exasperated by a lack of rain, summer heat, an inept sprinkler head, and a gardener who cuts the grass but does not specialize in growing it.
As my daddy walked through my yard and examined it closer, he thought that perhaps there was something beneath the surface killing the root. He then determined that tilling the ground would not only help us uncover the issue but also ensure new seeds could cultivate and harvest the crop I desired.
My gardener had been throwing grass seed down on unplowed ground which was a waste of time and effort. Since the ground was so dry and hard, the seed never took proper root. With the Bay Area approaching fall season, the time when we typically receive rain, my parent’s visit was the perfect time to put down new seeds.
So, we got to work (well, he got to work. I just provided the resources).
First, my father attempted to break up the dry ground with just a shovel. But after months of no rain and a broken sprinkler valve, the ground was harder than he imagined. Before he could get to work, I had to use the water hose to saturate the ground and soften things up.
Once softened, my father was able to penetrate the ground. He still had to work at it and put effort into it. He had to take breaks and almost formed a blister in his palm through the gloves. Apparently, breaking up hardened soil is strenuous work.
Once he was able to break it up, I continued watering the area and the dirt transformed into mud. The ground was now pliable enough to receive the grass seed. My father spread the seed generously over the muddy areas. As he spread it, he prayed and spoke life into the seeds that fell on the ground.
He prayed for a ripe harvest. New grass that would take root and grow. As he spread, he also had me continue to water the areas. He then fixed the sprinklers to ensure they were aimed correctly to accurately cover the areas in need.
My daddy is the best.
A couple of days later, the Bay Area received a strong downpour of rain. I was more than excited because I knew what this was going to do for my yard. After the short stretch of consecutive rainy days, I ventured out to the yard and was so elated to see the fresh blades of green. New grass was growing! My yard was starting to look lush and green where it was once bare and brown. All I did was continue to water it on the days it didn’t rain, and I even put more seed down in the areas in need of a bit more love.
This experience was more than a lesson on yard work. Jesus was teaching me a lesson on spiritual growth. Hosea 10:12 says, “I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.’”
Re-read my story. But this time, look at the ground as your heart, my daddy as your Heavenly Father, the seed as your hopes, and the grass as what you pray to produce in your life according to God’s purpose. Then look at the rain as life’s challenges as well as God’s word.
God wants to plant seeds of righteousness in your heart and let them take root. In order for those seeds to grow and those roots to go deep, He has to make our hearts pliable to receive His word and bear good fruit by producing rain.
Rain means that sometimes . . . sucky things in life happen. You get fired, you suffer a miscarriage, you get overlooked for the promotion, someone breaks your heart, a loved one gets COVID, or your car breaks down at the worst time.
All challenges that we would rather not face.
But instead of hardening your heart, turn to God’s word, get connected with a strong Bible-based church, and receive encouragement and love from a community of believers. This will help keep the ground soft as the seed gets buried but then works to break through the ground to grow.
The process of growth is when you start to yield the fruit of the spirit. Losing your job taught you discipline and how to do more with less in your finances. Experiencing the miscarriage taught you how to be more kind to other women or families because you never know what they may be experiencing. Getting overlooked for the promotion taught you how to be patient and wait for the next opportunity while still working as unto the Lord. Having your heart broken taught you how to forgive and seek the Source of real joy. Having a loved one get sick during a trying year allowed you to experience a peace that surpasses all understanding.
Life’s rain will come. But rain is needed for growth. Growth is necessary for harvest. If you allow God’s word to take route in your heart, you’ll see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Harvest is evidence of God’s promise to shower righteousness over you. Receive the rain with gladness.
Lord, thank you for the rain. Thank you for your word that corrects and guides us with love. Thank you for the experiences that are needed to help us grow and become more like you. As we continue to grow, help us keep our hearts pliable and ready to receive what you have for us. Let us not grow weary as place our hope in you, enduring all that life may bring. We give you thanks in advance for our harvest season. Amen.
