About 2 weeks ago, I finally got my act together and I began to sew the multiple packages of seeds I had purchased. Before opening each one, I took a good look at the picture depicted at the front to envision what I could expect if I managed to successfully cultivate the seeds to maturity.
Without any further thought, I ripped open the packet and I half hazardly sprinkled the seeds all over the soil. I quickly ran my fingers through the soil, hoping to successfuly scatter the seeds around and I then grabbed clumps of soil from my side and plopped them over what I hoped were the seeds. (WARNING: I would NOT recommend this method to anyone and I would highly suggest that you read and follow the directions. Do note that I am not one to read instructions…)
As I watered the garden and the newly seeded soil, the partially buried empty seed packets which I had rolled up and had stuck into the soil caught my eye. Unlike avid gardeners, my short cut method of labelling seeded areas was good enough for me and it brought a smile to my face. At least this time, I would know which areas I seeded as opposed to what was seeded naturally by the wind. That was when the brief thought popped up. “What would happen if the pictures and the names on the labeled packets didn’t coincide with the seeds actually enclosed? Rather than encasing the seeds I had hoped for, what if all the seeds were those of prickly thistles?”
I paused for a moment to reflect on that disturbing thought. Recognizing that the thought was not in line with my usual ones, I asked the Father if there was anything in particular He wanted to teach me. The Father remained silent. Just to play it safe, I said a quick prayer, asking the Father to let the seeds be the authentic ones so I didn’t have to painstakingly weed them out later on.
There are times when the Father delays his explanations for the thoughts He plants in my mind. I often think the Father keeps me in suspense from time to time to ensure that I return back to finish our conversation. As I type, I am beginning to sense that the thoughts He had planted were there to lay out the perfect setting for what was to follow.
Last Saturday, a few of us attended Coastal Church*s Holy Spirit Day for their Alpha program. As normally is the case, we watched Niki Gumbel’s talk on DVD and we were then facilitated through questions to exapnd on what we had learned.
Seated with us in our discussion group was an oriental lady who very much reminded me of the Japanese housekeeper/nanny in Bill Bixby’s TV series, “The Courtship of Eddie’s Father”. Her hair was neatly tied up, she was well dressed and she sat with a “tall” back. (you know, like… not slouched.) My first impression of her was that she was shy and she would probably be too intimidated to share. To my surprise, and probably to every else’s, she caught the entire table’s attention as she shared how she encountered the Holy Spirit. Her story mesmerized each of us as she mentioned that she “saw” the light of the Holy Spirit break through the darkness that surrounded her. Her ability to captivate us lasted for a while, but eventually, as she continued on, some of us began to feel uncomfortable about the content of her talk. Although she claimed to be a Christian convert from the Buddhist faith, she had began to impart teachings of Buddha and she later insisted that the supernatural grace of God did not exist.
As I sit back and reflect, I begin to recognize a similarity between this lady and the mislabelled seeds. It is pertinent that we continue to ask the Father for the gifts of wisdom and discernment as one will never know when the devil, the Father of lies, will pull a fast one on us. Unfortunately, what we see will not always coincide with what we get.
God bless,
Melissa – June 12, 2009
