Message summary: Our planting is "doing good"; living in obedience to God's commands and seeking to fulfill His purpose for our lives. The promise is that we will at the proper time reap a harvest, if we do not give up. Thank God for the blossoms along the way. Let's keep sowing wherever the Lord leads us.

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"A sower went out to sow" (Matthew 13:3). "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:9).

We have three types of agriculture on our country road. Across, beside and behind us we have fields of corn grown for one our county's largest dairy farms (Brubaker Farms). We also have Cramers Farm. Just up the road from Cramers Farm are two Amish farms that primarily grow for the Lancaster Farm fresh co-op CSA.

Cramers Farm is a huge commercial flower farm around the corner from our house. (Coincidentally, for readers who follow our friends at the Old Windmill Farm, this was the farm that Jesse and Anna Ruth lived on when we first met them in January 2003).

Flowers grown on Cramers Farm are sold as fresh cut and many will be sold in the large cities along the east coast.

Growing flowers commercially is very labor intensive. These are not wild flowers randomly planted by nature but Keith Cramer, the owner of the farm and his staff, plant them each spring and are blessed when they bloom where they are planted. They are then harvested, distributed and sold to scores of city folks (Boston, New York, Philadelphia are three outlets that I know of.)

Here's a photo of Florencio Esparza, one of the field workers preparing a bunch of Zinnias he generously gave to Brooksyne, who had stopped to talk with him as we drove by. (Limited due to his Spanish)

Humans have had a role in planting since before the Fall. God placed Adam in the garden of Eden to work it, maintain it, draw nourishment from its fruitful produce and to enjoy its beauty (Genesis 2). Cain is described as "a worker of the ground" (Genesis 4:2). All through the Bible we see the record of planting and harvesting. Today, although many give it little thought, we all depend upon the hard work of those who plant and harvest.

We first heard this phrase, "Bloom Where You're Planted" from our years in Bible College. The saying has the sense that we are to let God use us by being fruitful wherever we find ourselves. Sometimes we plant with careful strategy such as the farmers on Cramers farm near our home and other times we must plant and sow seed wherever God leads us.

Today's text begins the parable of the sower: "A sower went out to sow". He had gone out to sow (plant) with planning and purpose. The goal was a harvest. We have many farmer friends and the plentiful harvest is always the goal.

In our lives we are planting (sowing) in various ways every day expecting to see the fruit of our labor. We memorized our second text today early in our ministry, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up".

Our planting is "doing good"; living in obedience to God's commands and seeking to fulfill His purpose for our lives. The promise is that we will at the proper time reap a harvest, if we do not give up. This speaks of steadfastness.

Thank God for the blossoms along the way. Let's keep planting wherever the Lord leads us.

Be encouraged today, Hebrews 3:13

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, we know that You are the Master Gardener; Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. As long as we stay connected to the vine we will reap a harvest of righteousness, peace and joy and life eternal in heaven. But meanwhile here on earth we may find ourselves in places and situations not of our own choosing. Even then You want us to plant seeds of goodness, kindness, generosity and love. We will reap a harvest of blessing from You and will bloom where we are planted if our heart and will is fully surrendered to You and when we fully trust You to be working all things for our good. Amen.

"Bloom Where You're Planted"  Watch on YouTube