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Mustard Seed September/October 2002
Plant a Garden Reap a Spiritual Harvest
Biblical or Scriptural Vertigo
Plant a Garden Reap a Spiritual Harvest
Mustard Seed - September/October 2002
I have been very blessed throughout my life, but two ways in particular. First to be called by God and second to be raised in a family that loves farming. From a very young age my parents instilled in us the love for reading. The reading material we had around our home was, "The Bible Story" series by Arthur S. Maxwell. My brothers, sisters and I loved to read the biblical stories and look at the beautiful illustrations on each page. God's word came to life in each story.
The same time that our love for reading was developing our family planted an apple orchard. In addition to the orchard we would plant a garden every year. We worked in the garden day by day from spring to fall, but the orchard required work every month of the year; year after year. It was not enjoyable at first and it was hard. To keep us working and to make time pass quicker dad would come out to the fields and spend hours talking to us as we all labored. He would tell us stories of our ancestors and what it was like when he was growing up. All six of us would love to listen to him. Sometime in my life, a gradual change in my outlook on farming took place and I desired to spend more time in the fields than with other people my own age.
Each hour spent in the fields doing what many considered tedious, boring and hard work was really spent meditating. When my father was not around to talk to me I would recall his stories and ponder on them. As I continued to meditate on these events I would begin to recall the bible stories about God and Jesus His son. I would then rehearse these stories in my mind. All the stories I had read as a child came to life in the orchard and garden. Each weed I pulled reminded me of a parable; each hour I spent pruning tree limbs I could hear Jesus say: "... The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof." (Mt 13:31-32)
When I asked questions such as, "Lord why did we not have a crop of apples this year, after we have labored so hard and made all the necessary preparation to insure a good crop", His word would come back to me: "Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof; But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the LORD: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard." (Leviticus 25: 3-4) I would then meditate on His word and understand.
This morning as I was picking green beans in the garden, I was bothered by the bind weed that had spread and grown amongst the plants. I tried to pull the bind weed so my beans could grow without interference. But as I pulled the weeds I also pulled the bean plants up by the roots. I tried to unravel the weed runners from each plant, but I did more damage than good. I stopped in disgust and was reminded of the parable of the tares: "... The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him. Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them. An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him. Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to bum them: but gather the wheat into my barn. (Matthew 13:24 —30)
I continued picking beans, marveling at the beauty and quantity on each plant. We planted our garden late this year because of the drought. These green beans were the first of our harvest. As I picked handful after handful of beans I recalled different conversations my wife and I had with our friends; One of our friends said, she really enjoyed tender young beans, "let's take some green beans for the covered dish meal we'll enjoy after services on the Feast of Trumpets." Last year a couple of the ladies teamed up and made a great dish of green beans!" As these thoughts crossed my mind the word of God again came to me: "And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labors, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, [which is] in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labors out of the field. Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord GOD. (Exodus 23:16)
I realized at that moment that had I not planted a garden, I would not have a harvest to reap. As these words scrolled across my thoughts I heard Jesus answer:
"... He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked [one];
The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear." (Mathew 13:37-43)
I have been blessed many times after I planted a seed or a tree. No matter how great or small the yield, the harvest has been great. As long as God is willing, I will continue to plant, read and meditate on His word and reap a SPIRITUAL HARVEST!
--Ed Costanza
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