Saved With Purpose: The Planter

Sisters Empowered to Encourage Discipleship & Serve

Have you ever struggled with a feeling that made you wonder if God is making use of you? or questioned whether the plans He has promised- plans for your prosperity and future- were still in motion? Have you ever felt like those plans were just a little or completely out of alignment with where you currently are?

I know I have, and in those moments it felt like God was far from me. In times as such trusting and having faith in those plans God I was told and knew God had was extremley challenging. Though this same feeling may be causing you to feel isolated, shamed, alone, disconnected, and or more. Let me just say, you are certainly not alone!

Saved SEEDS is here to remind you, that those plans are indeed in motion, that they have been from the very beginning. I am here to remind you that God has saved you, and even if it doesn't feel like it right now, He is working in your life, and let me just say, it is for something bigger than you could have imagined or achieved on your own.

The Planting Process: a Reflection of God's work in you

At first glance, growing a plant might seem as simple as planting a seed. But did you know that in reality there are several critical steps that take place before the seed even touches the soil? For instance, the first step in planting is preparing the soil. This involves enriching it the soil with compost or organic matter to ensure that it is nutrient-rich and ready to support growth.

Next, the planter must dig a hole- not just any hole, but one that is carefully measured to give the roots space to spread and access its essentials such as water, air, and nutrients. The problem is, that if the hole is too small, the roots cannot develop properly, drastically reducing the seed's chances of the seed's survival.

After preparing the soil and the hole, the next step is to prepare the seed itself. This might include techniques like lacerating, freezing, winnowing, roughing the seed-and a bunch of other words I can hardly make sense of that ready the seed for germination (sprouting).

Only after these steps have been completed, the seed is then gently placed into the soil. Even then the process is not over. The seed must be covered with mulch to lock in moisture to keep the weeds out. And even then, the work does not stop- watering, nurturing, and consistent care are required to ensure that the seed can grow into a thriving plant.

As you can see, what seemed like a simple task is revealed to be a detailed, and intentional process. Each step that took place was crucial in order to the lay the foundation for future growth ensuring the seeed's success.

The Parable of the sower

Since we are talking about seeds, let's explore a story found in Luke 8:4-15, where Jesus shares the Parable of the Sower:

While a large and diverse crowd gathered around Him, Jesus told this parable:

"A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seeds, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among the thorn which grew with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop a hundred times more than it was sown.

When he said this he called out, ‘Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.’

His disciples asked him what this parable meant. He said: ‘The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, “though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.

“This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way, they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.”

Why God is waiting to plant you

The waiting game can be a hard one, but it is a crucial part of God's plan. The Lord is not idle; He is intentionally preparing both you and the environment for your growth. Imagine if the planter had skipped the steps prior to planting the seed. The soil might not have been ready, the conditions might not have supported growth, and ultimately the seed could have failed to thrive. Similarly, without God's preparation, we might find ourselves like the seeds that fell along the path, on rocky ground, or those among thorns. These seeds could not endure because they lacked the proper foundation.

But because God preserves us as his seeds, he ensures that when the time comes to plant us, we are placed firmly in good soil. The soil protects the Words in our hearts so the enemy cannot take it away. God prepares us to grow roots deep enough to sustain us during trials and testing so that the joy we have received in the Word will not leave us, allowing us to undoubtedly believe in His works in any condition. He positions us to thrive, not alongside thorns that might choke us, but in environments where we can grow naturally and abundantly, producing new plants that have come from the very good soil the Lord originally planted us in alone, multiplied.

Is it yet starting to make sense? Because the Lord is the most perfect planter, her took his time, intentionally. Did you know that there are actual reasons why a planter may wait to plant their seed. This could include poor weather conditions that affect the soils readiness. For instance, if the air above the soil is too cold, the temperature below the surface will also be too cold for the seed to sprout. Frost, which is also common during cold season could cause the young seedling to be damaged making it another reason why a planter may wait to plant. A planter may also consider the soil's moisture levels, as overly wet soil, such as during rainy season can cause the seed to rot. In some cases the planter will wait until the seasons shift entirely. This is because the planter understands that some plants will require longer periods of daylight to thrive. But another reason, unrelated to weather, is the maturity of the seed itself. A good planter will carefully observe its seed, waiting until it shows signs of readiness- such as dryness, hardness, or a change in color before planting it. This ensures the seed has the best chance of sprouting and developing into a strong, and healthy plant. Are you following?

In the same way, God is not only a good planter, but God is the all knowing and most perfect planter. Because of this fact, he knows the exact timing needed for you to thrive. While you may think you are ready, God is looking at both the external and internal condition, just as the planter did the weather and temperature beneath the ground. While you may think you are ready, God is saving you because He sees what is looking to damage you in a given season, just as the planter could see that the frost could damage the seedling. While you may think you are ready, God is saving you from the things he sees that are looking to rot and spoil you, just as the planter did when he measured the moisture of the soil. While you may think you are ready, God knows what the darkness is capable of doing, for He knows the appropriate amount of light you will need to successfully grow, just as the planter did. And, While you may think you are ready, God is saving you to mature you because He is still making changes and tracking your progress, for the right moment just as the planter did.

Hold up...

Now that we are professional planters, hahah, well dang near it! Let me work to connect a thought with the help of the Holy Spirit, because it is getting hard. You might still be wondering about something that is related to what the point of the waiting, the preparing, and the observing is? Well here's the thing, after the plant has been planted, and grown, and now all is left is to harvest. Depending on the plant the outcome can vary. Here's the thing, the Lord isn't just preparing you for you, the Lord's plan is bigger. So when it comes to plants, and how they eventually continue to grow it looks like this. Some plants drop seeeds that sprout into new plants, so the planter won't need to do anything, they will just grow. Some plants require replanting and the gardener must carefully tend to them in the same way he did originally. But others grow naturally and beautifully alongside the plants that the planter originally planted. Take note.

Sisters, just as these plants yield new life, we too are called to continue growing and multiplying. The harvest doesn't end with us, but rather it begins a new cycle of life and ministry, so while the Lord waited to preparing you, it took a little long because he also thought about how he was simutaneously preparing you for all those to come becasue of you. Our role is to continue planting seeds of faith, just as God planted His word in our heart, doesn't that kind of make even more sense as to why it may be taking so long?

The Lord's Plan for Growth

The Lord is planning for us to grow a hundred times more than he had sowed. I was just a seed, waiting, very impatiently may I just add. But the Lord carefully nutured me, and produced fruit, that is still growing... His love, attention, and care, helped me to step into my purpose, my calling, which is Saved Seeds. But, we'll get to my testimony a little bit later...

Because He spoke love into you, and prepared you with his love, attention, and care, you will have a good heart. And because he planted you with fruits of the holy spirit you will not only be able to hear the word you will be able to retain it. And after all is said and done, you will become a Sister, a sister like me, who is ready to Empower, and Encourage Discipleship while serving the Lord. Sisters we have been saved, for this very moment. God never forsook you, or forgot about you. And trust me, I had to be reminded of this myself too many times to count. In Jeremiah 29:11-14 the Lord declared that he has plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, to give you hope and a future. And you know what he has asked of you? He said "seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you." The Lord declared that he will "bring you back from captivity." The Lord is calling you from whattever, and wherever you are being held captive. From place wher you may have been banished, places of wonder, of anxiety, sin, depression, addiction, shame, doubt, brokenness, heartbreak, disappointment. Where you may be, the Lord has declared that he wll bring you back from the very places you were carried to exile. So sister, whether you may be in a place of feeling like the Lord forgot about you, in a place where you feel like you are purposeless, in a place where you though that other would go before you, or in none of these places at all, I want you to remember that you were SAVED. Not forgotten, not left left behind, not useless, you have been SAVED. It seems to be complicated by a lot fo things, but all the Lord asks of you is to seek him. And so Sister, I am here to encourage you in and through that process, to validate you, to remind you, and to love you in the ways the Lord, and many others did me. And one day whether it is right now in you brokenness, or tomorrow in your harvest, when you and the Lord have decided together that it is time. you too will encouragee others to serve, and to discipleship, and we will together, because though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves, and a cord of three ( and potentially more) is not quickly broken {Ecclesiastes 4:12}