Today’s author is Intentional Interim Lead Pastor, Steve Sylvester.
As the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there until they have watered the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose
and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
Isaiah 55:10-11
As I write this it is raining. Again. Or perhaps still. We were living in Texas when Hurricane Katrina hit, so I know what too much rain can do. But I also know the suffering that too little moisture brings, so this has been a wonderful month.
The photos accompanying this devotion are of our front yard. One is from June 20 a year ago. We had decided that one of the ways we would remember and honor our son Sam, whose funeral was at Prince of Peace on June 5, 2023, would be to do turn about half our front yard into a native meadow. We were told by Prairie Restorations, the company in Scandia that did the work, that it would take three to four years to mature. I took the other photo today, barely over a year later, and it’s already breathtaking.
Looking at Sam’s Meadow, I think of another passage in Scripture, this one from 1 Corinthians: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.” It’s astounding what a tremendous change has taken place in one short year. When I walk out into the meadow, I see all the pollinators and the other insects and smaller creatures that are so absent from traditional suburban sod deserts. I am thankful that when God’s good creation is given a modicum of care, a bit of opportunity and receives enough moisture at the right time, it continues to bring forth and sprout.