May – Not Our Timing
“Everything that happens in this world happens at the time God chooses. He sets the time for birth and the time for death, the time for planting and the time for pulling up,”
Ecclesiastes 3:1-2
May. We’re ready. The days are longer. The soil is warming. Seedlings are outgrowing their little pots. We’ve done the dreaming. We’ve carefully laid our plans. Prepared as best we could. All steps leading us here; to the long awaited time for planting.
Unless… as many of us experienced this year, May rebelled against her expected nature and remained cool. Too cool for the soil to warm or for the seedlings to properly acclimate to the outdoors. Some gardeners bravely went about their planting business as if May hadn’t invited winter to lengthen his stay. A risk most were not willing to take. And although caution may have been the wise decision, it was not without frustration.
Back to the waiting. Wondering when it would finally warm enough to safely begin the gardening season. We have already done so much waiting, and now we must wait again. I was reminded during this waiting that as much as I would like things to happen in my timing, everything worth anything happens in God’s timing.
I think back to the many people of the Bible who endured waiting. Noah waited for the flood, Abraham waited for a son, the Hebrews waited for freedom, the Israelites waited for the promised land and later for the return of their savior. So much waiting just in these few stories. And through all the waiting, there was always the presence of hope. Hope in knowing that God in all His goodness would keep each one of His promises.
So as we withstand a bit more waiting, let’s cling to the truth that what lies ahead is far greater than what would be if we decide to ignore the waiting being requested of us through the unseasonably cool temperatures and hastily begin the gardening season we’re so desperate for. Timing in the garden is everything. As we wait, we can remember the hope that was grown through seasons of waiting in the Bible. So my friends, we will wait a little longer and hope that a thriving garden follows.
