“Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit.” Jeremiah 17:7-8
This is a wonderful time of the summer to get great bargains on annual flowers and vegetable plants. Everything is marked down and often times the plants are given away just to open up the space for the fall plants and flowers.
A little bit of heaven on earth for a garden lover like myself, who feels there is always room for one more variety of pepper, one more shade of pink in my petunias and if the price is right, all the more exciting.
So, I found myself bargain shopping at a local greenhouse this week when four tall, lanky, slightly dreary tomato plants called on me from a forgotten corner of the greenhouse to save them from the compost heap. Since I am in the business of saving souls with the help of the Almighty, why not save some Roma Reds (and make some great spaghetti sauce this fall too) with His help as well.
Dragging these sad specimens up to the counter, I asked the greenhouse owner whether or not he thought they could still be planted to produce fruit this season.
He gave me some seasoned and expert advice. He told me to concentrate on the roots. I had selected plants that had small red tomatoes on them; but, he insisted I cut the fruit off so the plant could put all its effort into establishing a good root system. Looking at the cramped and root bound pots in which the plants were stuck, he reminded me to put rich soil very loosely around each plant, giving the roots ample room to reach out and secure themselves to the rich nutrients.
Whatever you do, he counseled, never let them dry out.
Keep the water ample and consistent. Never let the plants be stressed. They would need extra attention, a good location in the garden, consistent water and fertilizer and lots of tender loving care. Properly planted and cared for, he assured, these plants would more than make up for their late start and be prolific producers.
As I pruned and planted the tomato plants, I was reminded of the Jeremiah passage in which our Lord tells us that those who trust in the Lord are like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream.
We are quite a bit like those tomato plants left over in mid-July. We want to bear good fruit, we don’t want to be left to rot and be discarded; but we sometimes spend all of our energies showing the world how great we are with showy, premature fruit. We don’t take the time to plant ourselves by the living waters of the Word, where we can put down roots that will reach out into flowing river of the Holy Spirit to nourish our souls and sustain us when troubles come.
When we are planted by the water of the Word, we need never be anxious for anything.
His Word will save and sustain us when the ways of the world fail us and we will never cease to bear the good fruit of a life lived in His service.
The over-looked, old and almost forgotten tomato plants give me hope too, when I think that they demonstrate how it is never too late with God. Just like these plants, we can always be planted or transplanted in a better spot and it is never too late to put down roots and transform our lives.
God sends people into our lives who direct us in the way that we should go and help us to find the place by the river of life. We are sometimes the old tomato plants, needing someone to pick us up and plant us where we can send out good roots. Sometimes we are the bargain shopper, who needs to be reminded that every living thing is worthy of helping to find the Way.
God has a plan and He will use each of us in the best way possible to complete that plan.
May we always be alert to His calling us to His service as the plant or the planter.
Deborah Linville
Pastor, Presbyterian Church of Wilmington
