Time for Faith

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: 2a time to be born, and a time to die;a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted... Ecclesiastes 3:1-2

On a road near my house, there is a house whose yard runs right along the road.

A few years ago the owner planted a series of trees along the road. When he planted them, they looked like sticks stuck into the ground. In no way did these sticks look like trees. They were laughable.

But the owner had a vision. He wanted a row of tall, thin trees on the edge of his property.

Years later, what he envisioned is reality. These "sticks" have grown into tall, thin trees.

There are times when what we hope for cannot be achieved in a short time. The owner of that property, even though he knew what he wanted, had to plant the "seeds" first. He couldn't have results right away; he had to hope and plan that the sticks would live and grow into the tall line of trees he pictured.

Not everything God plans for us or our churches comes true right away. Sometimes the work we do feels like jabbing sticks into the ground instead of planting future ministry. Sometimes we don't want to take the time to have faith.

But sometimes, that's the only way that will work.

Image: Row of tall trees in Ritter Park.