Faith-bearing Seed for the Soul
"While the earth remaineth,
Seedtime and harvest
....shall not cease"

Genesis 8:22

Growing Grapes with Gretchen T. Goat's Help.

"Owwwie, that hurts...STOP IT!...Awww, this isn't right!...I said to

stop it... God! HELP! Why don't you help me, Lord? Can't you

see what's happening to me? I'm getting no place. I'm stripped

to the nubbins...How will I ever bear any fruit? How can you let

this goat chew off every new leaf I produce, without doing a thing

about it?" pleaded my friend's grape vines for four struggling,

grueling years.

And the Lord replied to the vine:

Psalms 37:34

"Wait for the Lord and keep His way, he will exalt you to inherit

the Land; when the wicked are cut off, you will see it."

And the vine moaned and groaned:

"MERCY, MERCY, LORD, MERCY, I can't take any more... You are

a loving, kind God full of mercy...give me mercy. Help me!"

The observant nearby trees clapped their branches and sang:

Psalm 80:8-11 NIV

"You brought out a vine from Egypt; You brought out a nation

and planted it. You cleared the ground for it and it took root

and filled the land. Watch over this vine, the root your right

hand has planted, the branch you have raised up for Yourself."

Psalm 138:8

"The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy

and loving kindness, O Lord, endureth for ever; forsake not

the works of Your own hands.

My friend and I planted grape vines at the same time four

years ago. I planted mine in a romantic spot on a well drained

circle drive, and nestled them up to the new cedar rail fence

built especially for them. I watered, top soil fed and fertilized

my vines, admired their beautiful leaves each year. Only one

time have they bring forth a sparce bunch of fruit that

never ripened or matured.

My friend was so busy that her vines sat in their original

containers for several weeks, until one day, noticing that they

were beginning to wither, she quickly plopped them into the soil

along side of the fence. The draining water from their dirty,

soapy wash water ran by at a distance, but scarcely close enough

to do much good unless the vine's roots could reach it. The fence

was there to hold in the goats, not to add eloquence and grace

to the vine's beauty. And, the goats were so pleased! The tender

new leaves that the vines shot forth each year were nibbled off

by Gretchen T. Goat & Co., as fast as they appeared.

One day early this spring, my friend, in search of her vines

discovered the vine roots, but there were no branches. And she

thought..."Ah ha! Shall I tie up the goats and see if the vines shall

live?" And she did. And the vines lived, and brought forth huge

branches that produced plump, luscious fruit in abundance, for

their roots had sunk deep and traveled far and wide in search of

water the entire time they were being humbled by the pesky goats.

The vines didn't give up! They found the deep water and continued

to persevere! Adversity could not stop them.

Today, right now, is there some adversity gnawing away at your

prosperity, pride and productivity? Does God see it; is He watching

over you? Will He deliver you from the devourer when the time is

right, when your roots are down deep, so that you will bear His

fruit, and not your own? Doesn't He desire more for you than to

be a fruitless showpiece, groomed and cared for by man instead

of Himself?

Isaiah 58:11 NIV

The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in

a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be

like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.

John 15:16 NIV (Emphasis mine)

You did not choose me, but I chose you to go and bear fruit---

fruit that will last. THEN the Father will give you whatever you

ask in my name.

John 15:1,2, 7

I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener...every branch

that does bear fruit he trims clean so that it will be even more

fruitful.

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever

you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my father's glory that

you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

As His disciples, we MUST learn to persevere.

Rooted and grounded in the love of Christ Jesus,

Marlene JuHaros,

Texas Seed Sower

Seed for Thought Devotionals are written as the Lord leads and are sent only if you request a subscription by e-mail.  

Would you like to subscribe to the TexasSower Devotional?  e-mail texassower@texassower.com and put "subscribe" in the subject line.

"Keep on sowing your seed, for you never know

which will grow--perhaps it all will."

Eccl. 11:6

return to the TexasSower home page

.

You are cordially invited to visit the   page for additonal inspiration readings and prayer..