Tending Faith
I am convinced my brother was born with not only one but two green thumbs. Somehow, he got the double portion of creating greenery mastery. I can only aspire to his level.
In hindsight I see my blunder. While I was chasing an empty social scene, he was mining for “gold” in the greenhouse at school. His gift is natural, but his horticulture teacher also invested time in him for the entirety of his high school career. His life now reaps the benefits of that hard work.
As an adult I relish in a well-maintained garden but lack the knowledge of all the tips and tricks that just come automatically to my brother.
It dawned on me while weeding my flower bed recently, how foolish I have been to wait for sunny skies to undertake the task. Normally I would set out with the sun beating down on my brow, sweat mixed with dirt, and greenery staining my hands. It made the task of weeding that much more daunting.
But today was different.
It had rained for a few days and the sky was overcast. The day was hiding in the shadows, the weeds easily gliding out of the dirt.
Matthew, Mark, and Luke all speak of a woman who had lived in the shadowland of chronic illness for twelve long years. The passage in Luke 8:43 describes her desperation in detail.
An incurable bleeding disorder had drained her life savings on doctors, to no avail.
She was an outcast of society. She was considered unclean from Levitical law and forced to live on the outskirts of Jewish life.
That is until she heard of a New Physician.
One who touched lepers and restored them body, mind, and soul.
In her mind she knew that if she could touch the tzitzit (fringes) of His garment, she would be made well. This idea audaciously propelled her into a crowd of people where her tiny thread of hope met the corners of His garment.
Scripture tells us that immediately she is healed. The disease had met someone more powerful than itself.
Jesus sensed power leave Him and searched to find the one who had “touched” His garments. He comes face-to-face with this woman who had suffered tremendously but now is made whole.
Her act of faith proved to be a fulfillment of prophecy.
“But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.” Malachi 4:2
The Hebrew word for the wings of a bird or angel is kanaph. It also refers to the corners of a garment, which might move in the wind, giving the appearance of a flapping wing.[1]
The Son of Righteousness completely restored this woman to wholeness. He stated it was because of her faith.
So much of gardening is a lot like a work of faith.
There is part of rolling up your sleeves and getting your hands dirty.
Effort is involved.
Knowledge is required for success.
We act without seeing immediate results.
By faith we wait and tend and wait some more. The results are breathtaking.
Kneeling in the dirt of my garden reminded me of this woman who no doubt was kneeling in the dirt to reach the corners of his garment. By faith she reached out and was found in the shadow of His wing. Her tiny kernel of faith changed the course of her life.
“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.” Proverbs 13:12
Written by Kori, Life in Messiah staff
1) What area of your faith life needs tending?
2) To grow, a plant needs sun, water, and even pruning. What stage are you in right now?
3) Who in your life could use a little “watering?”