As the calendar turns to June, the sky where I am is grey with a chance of rain. A light, cool occasional breeze flutters in through the open window and the floral curtains dance. I sit here and wonder how I got here this quick. My last baby graduated high school in May and he is on the edge of 18, and Army basic training. The end of one season of motherhood and on the cusp of so many changes. I find my spirit crying out to God with little questions that start with things like “what next or what now or what if?” Only to be reminded that each day is a blessing, and a chance to bloom, to grow, to flourish in the now. Not to wait.
March and April held little bright yellow daffodils blooming everywhere, that always remind me of trumpets heralding the end of the winter season and the waking up and new birth that Spring holds.
But May. May brought us a super bloom. So many flowers, everywhere. It was beautiful, the first flush of roses here was unreal. The peonies would not be outdone, the fruit trees blooming like never before in the 10 years I’ve called the big house in the little woods home. I had things blooming that have never bloomed before. I was in awe of God’s little winks, reminding “I’m here!” And He has been here all along. 2020 was hard for many people, all around this world and the ramifications of that year are still being felt and rippling through. But God. He is not shaken, or surprised or nervous or questioning what to do next. He already knows, and He is always ahead of us calling us forward. For many “the great pause” of 2020 felt like death. Hopes and dreams seemed ruined or even dead. But God is saying, “wake up! Dream with Me again!” “Trust Me!” May also held the beauty of baptisms, graduations, unexpected visits to the hospital, the start of my 39th trip around the sun and other birthdays and celebrations, it held final touches to the book I’m writing and starts to the devotional that’s on my desk, up next. It held life. Precious every day life. Like each month does in its own way.
But as I was looking at the big bucket of strawberries my husband brought inside, “another bucket” I thought to myself. Our other fruit trees are full of fruit as well waiting for their time to ripen. Then it hit me, the harvest we are going to see in the next season is going to be unreal; Physical and Spiritual. Many have been waiting on spiritual Harvests for awhile. Ready to see the fruit of our labors in life; in our family, in ministry, in parenthood, at work, in our health etc. – well hold on! Don’t loose hope, don’t weary of doing good.
Today I pray you sit at His feet for a while and Thank Him for the blessings all around you, ask Him to show you. Ask Him to lead you in His word to His promises. Ask Him to speak to you. Then listen. I pray you look around you at the beauty unfolding, that you see the promise of the harvest that is coming and you want to join in.
Because He needs workers. He needs gathers. He needs lovers. He needs weed pullers and waters and teachers to sow the seeds for the next generation. What part will you play?
Friend, you don’t want to miss what’s up ahead.
Matthew 9:37-38 “Then he (Jesus) said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
My “what next, what now, what if” answers may look different then yours. But rest assured, they are not less important.
So don’t wait to bloom. Do it now.
Love, Shannon
Shannon R. Hess 