At my family’s farm we have received only 0.4 inches of rain in the last month. Our field of sweet corn in stunted and withering. The squash and pumpkins, on the other hand, are growing like crazy. What’s the difference? Are pumpkins just naturally tougher than corn? No. The difference is the pumpkin patch sits near a water faucet and gets watered regularly. The corn field is too far from the water and so it is drying up.
This is a metaphor for our spiritual lives. It’s not that some people are naturally more “spiritual” than others. We all have equal access to God. But we have a choice. We can plant ourselves close to God and receive regular refreshment from prayer, bible reading, and worship. Or we can plant our lives far from God and just hope that no drought comes along. In good times it may look like either way is fine, but in tough times it’s those who have grown close to God who thrive. Psalm 1 uses this same metaphor:
The truly happy person doesn’t follow wicked advice,
doesn’t stand on the road of sinners, and doesn’t sit with the disrespectful.
Instead of doing those things, these persons love the Lord’s Instruction,
and they recite God’s Instruction day and night!
They are like a tree replanted by streams of water, which bears fruit at just the right time
and whose leaves don’t fade. Whatever they do succeeds.
My corn is just going to have to tough it out on its own. It’s planted too far away and can’t be moved. But people always have the choice of moving closer to God and regularly receiving the refreshment we need. As Jesus said, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.” (John 7:37)
Have a great week.
Pastor Mark