Growing Seasons
Psalm 96 (NLT)
1 Sing a new song to the Lord!
Let the whole earth sing to the Lord!
2 Sing to the Lord; praise his name.
Each day proclaim the good news that he saves.
3 Publish his glorious deeds among the nations.
Tell everyone about the amazing things he does.
4 Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!
He is to be feared above all gods.
5 The gods of other nations are mere idols,
but the Lord made the heavens!
6 Honor and majesty surround him;
strength and beauty fill his sanctuary.
7 O nations of the world, recognize the Lord;
recognize that the Lord is glorious and strong.
8 Give to the Lord the glory he deserves!
Bring your offering and come into his courts.
9 Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor.
Let all the earth tremble before him.
10 Tell all the nations, “The Lord reigns!”
The world stands firm and cannot be shaken.
He will judge all peoples fairly.
11 Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice!
Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise!
12 Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy!
Let the trees of the forest sing for joy
13 before the Lord, for he is coming!
He is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with justice,
and the nations with his truth.
Let the whole earth sing to the Lord!
2 Sing to the Lord; praise his name.
Each day proclaim the good news that he saves.
3 Publish his glorious deeds among the nations.
Tell everyone about the amazing things he does.
4 Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!
He is to be feared above all gods.
5 The gods of other nations are mere idols,
but the Lord made the heavens!
6 Honor and majesty surround him;
strength and beauty fill his sanctuary.
7 O nations of the world, recognize the Lord;
recognize that the Lord is glorious and strong.
8 Give to the Lord the glory he deserves!
Bring your offering and come into his courts.
9 Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor.
Let all the earth tremble before him.
10 Tell all the nations, “The Lord reigns!”
The world stands firm and cannot be shaken.
He will judge all peoples fairly.
11 Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice!
Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise!
12 Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy!
Let the trees of the forest sing for joy
13 before the Lord, for he is coming!
He is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with justice,
and the nations with his truth.
At this time of year, the thoughts of gardeners among us drift toward how we’ll prepare for the upcoming planting season. We’ll till the soil, sow seeds, carefully and faithfully tend the garden, and wait for the 1st signs of growth. Throughout the growing season we’ll watch the fruits of our labor flourish and ripen. We’ll keep an eye on the garden to root out weeds and chewing bugs to ensure continued growth.
When reaping a good harvest, we’ll be joyful that our labors in the field have been rewarded. We’ll probably share a portion with others and then put an amount aside to enjoy in the future. We’ll even save seeds from the harvest in preparation for a new garden the next season. We’ll trust that the seeds will produce another bountiful crop. If the growing season hasn’t been successful, we’ll still prepare for a new crop the next season and look toward getting improved results. We’ll have faith that a better crop is in the future.
It’s much the same with the children in our lives. We plan for their arrival and, throughout their growing season, we root out the bad influences to which they are exposed and fend off their fears and concerns with loving care.
We consistently bless and praise God to teach our children how to grow in their own faith. When the physical growing is completed and the children are ready to strike out on their own, they -- and we -- experience the harvest of that growth, not only in stature and knowledge, but in the seeds of faith we, and those who love them, have planted in their hearts and minds. By doing so steadily and prayerfully, each child’s growing season has a firm foundation upon which to develop themselves as an ambassador of God who will reach out to others in the world.
What are our personal growing seasons? What have others planted for us and what have we planted for ourselves? Will our harvest be plentiful as we rejoice in our Creator? Or will it be full of weeds so that we need to plow deep to reset our thinking and put our feet back on the path to God? Whatever your personal walk with God may be, sing and rejoice in the word of the Lord and make your growing seasons the best ones possible.
Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to be aware of my place in this world as I sow the seeds of growth, love, and faith. Let not my seeds fall on fallow ground but on fertile soil, whether it be seeds for crops, encouragement, love, or support. Please let me be the instrument of successful growing seasons for those around me so that they, too, can “Sing unto the Lord, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day.” Amen.
When reaping a good harvest, we’ll be joyful that our labors in the field have been rewarded. We’ll probably share a portion with others and then put an amount aside to enjoy in the future. We’ll even save seeds from the harvest in preparation for a new garden the next season. We’ll trust that the seeds will produce another bountiful crop. If the growing season hasn’t been successful, we’ll still prepare for a new crop the next season and look toward getting improved results. We’ll have faith that a better crop is in the future.
It’s much the same with the children in our lives. We plan for their arrival and, throughout their growing season, we root out the bad influences to which they are exposed and fend off their fears and concerns with loving care.
We consistently bless and praise God to teach our children how to grow in their own faith. When the physical growing is completed and the children are ready to strike out on their own, they -- and we -- experience the harvest of that growth, not only in stature and knowledge, but in the seeds of faith we, and those who love them, have planted in their hearts and minds. By doing so steadily and prayerfully, each child’s growing season has a firm foundation upon which to develop themselves as an ambassador of God who will reach out to others in the world.
What are our personal growing seasons? What have others planted for us and what have we planted for ourselves? Will our harvest be plentiful as we rejoice in our Creator? Or will it be full of weeds so that we need to plow deep to reset our thinking and put our feet back on the path to God? Whatever your personal walk with God may be, sing and rejoice in the word of the Lord and make your growing seasons the best ones possible.
Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to be aware of my place in this world as I sow the seeds of growth, love, and faith. Let not my seeds fall on fallow ground but on fertile soil, whether it be seeds for crops, encouragement, love, or support. Please let me be the instrument of successful growing seasons for those around me so that they, too, can “Sing unto the Lord, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day.” Amen.
Doris P. Dean, Calvary UMC, Clarksburg, WV, clovermama@hotmail.com, Local Church Assistant Financial Secretary, Coordinator of Communications, Missions Chair
No Comments