Perseverance

There are days, weeks, months and perhaps even years when the only ‘word’ you know is ‘perseverance’. 

Wherever we are in this world God’s truth is revealed through the ordinary... and I remember.  Living on the mission field, the small apartment was in the heart of a community full of drinking and drugs, poverty and deprivation. The houses all crammed together each flaunted a small apron of garden between them and the sidewalk.   No bigger than a postage stamp the garden was a reflector of where the heart of the occupant would either grow or neglect the garden and generally reflect light or darkness, hope or despair.   Neighbors came and left before you could even meet them—generally staying long enough to destroy what little beauty could be seen. 

The present family was among those who at midnight when the pubs closed their doors, would stumble into the streets either singing or cursing and fights were not infrequent.

When the streets became quiet I would fall asleep—but there was one night I awoke to hear unfamiliar noises—as I peeked through the curtains I saw the strangest sight.  There was the new neighbor in the dim lamplight, spade in hand, clearing out the debris in his little plot of ground—and there was a lot!  Old beer bottles—paper goods—tin cans—you name it the ground had become a garbage dump for those living there before him as well as those passing by.  I silently dropped the curtain, wondering why on earth he chose to work through the night.  I laid down to the thud of digging and fell into a fitful sleep.  Early morning came and my first thought was to open the curtain and see what the neighbor had done. 

To say I was amazed is an understatement—there before my eyes was the little garden—stripped of all but the soft loamy soil—the dirt was cleared of debris, ploughed and raked, beautiful in its nakedness it was ready for planting or sowing.  Working all through the night the one responsible had turned a garbage dump into a delight, a picture of transformation—a postcard of earth ready for the planting.   

What a wonderful parable of how our Heavenly Father works—all through the night of our despair and hopelessness He is unperturbed—His plans and purposes never thwarted, never changed—His arm is never shortened but reaches into the neglected places of life. He clears away the overgrowth and debris and exposes the original and authentic ground of our lives.  It is there that seeds are sown, flowering plants are positioned to delight the eye with color and encourages the heart with new hope.  Our perseverance has paid off.   See!  The winter is past; the rains are over and gone.

Suddenly---the sun breaks through the clouds, a new breeze blows through the soft air of Spring and it all makes sense.  Joy comes in the morning and all throughout the day there is strength.  In the prophetic Word of Jeremiah.  "...The seed will grow well, the vine will yield its fruit, the ground will produce its crops, and the heavens will drop their dew.  I will give all these things as an inheritance to the remnant of this people"  

~Diane~ March 2012