Those who go out weeping, carrying the seed, will come again with joy, shouldering their sheaves. Psalm 126:7
Did you ever grow seed in a Styrofoam cup at school? No one could see the seeds in that mound of dirt, but you watched everyday because you knew they were there. You put the cup in a place where it ccould get sunlight. You followed the instructions and watered it. You waited patiently for the first little sprout to appear. Then when it did, you danced with joy. Hope fulfilled.
When we read this Psalm in church, it gave me hope. It showed me that no matter what we experience in this life, if we carry a seed of hope and plant it in our hearts, God can take it, grow it and bring us abundance we could never, ever imagine possible. We may be weeping, but if we still hang on to that seed of hope, plant it in faith and not give up, the harvest will happen. The first little sprigs will pop up, then grow stronger, taller and lush.
What is hope? It’s not wishful thinking. It is immovable confidence. It is stomping your foot and standing firm against the wind of negatives swirling around you. If you will stand your ground, eventually you’ll see God’s good. Hope is an outlook fed by faith the way gentle rain waters the seeds hidden in the ground.
Maybe your little plant from school didn’t survive – maybe it took off and grew to where it was spilling out of the cup and needed to be planted in a bigger pot or in the ground. Rest assured, your seed of hope when placed in God’s hands will not wither. Only He knows how it will grow and what will happen. I have a refrigerator magnet that says “Anyone can count the seeds in an apple, only God can count the apples in a seed.” Give God your little seeds, and you can count on Him to make wonderful things happen, even when you can’t see them yet buried in the mound of your life. In time, you will return with joy, carrying the sheaths – the results of your prayers and faithful hope in the One who loves you most of all.
