Upon arrival to our new house in Zambia, the realization that we are blessed to have multiple fruit trees in our yard was such a surprise! Lime, lemon, guava, papaya, bananas, oranges, avocados, and plantains are growing in our yard. As I was looking out at the lime tree I thought, these fruit trees in our yard that are all fully grown and producing fruit were planted and pruned by others who lived here before us. Other missionaries who had a vision for what now graces the yard, others that labored to bring over saplings, plant and water the trees, and pruned them to grow properly. It took time, effort, and money. It took love, patience, and faith. It took God bringing rain and sun.
It is the same in ministry. Even though, we have been going back and forth here for years, it now seems like we are just beginning in ministry. We need to remember the truth of the fruit trees in our yard. We might be the ones just digging the soil to plant, we might plant a seed, we might be able to water it, or see it grow, but it is God who saves and does His mighty work. And just like the trees in our yard, the hard work and faith in God proves true in the fruit.
We pray as we follow God into ministry here full-time that He would go before us into the field and that we would do whatever job He has for us. Whether that is to cast vision, dig up the soil, plant, water, or be a part of the harvest. We must be willing to see the harvest even when the field is barren and blank, just like those who saw a empty yard and labored to give us the harvest of the fruit trees I see as I look out my window of where I now call home.
Matthew 9:37, 38-“The he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the LORD OF THE HARVEST therefore, to send out workers into HIS harvest field.’” (italics mine)
