Several years ago, Becky at my request created a bit of a lenten living lesson. The idea was to fill a plastic bowl with soil, grass seeds, rocks and a buried flower pot covered by a bigger rock. After several weeks once the grass grew, this was supposed to represent the empty tomb of Jesus on Easter. Needless to say, there wasn’t enough water and sunlight to make the grass grow and the little art experiment was placed behind the Trinity center to be cleaned up later. 

As things to be done later often go, later never came. Last Sunday as I was walking up to the church I noticed it behind the building. As I got closer, I realized the plastic bowl had begun to deteriorate and the grass seeds had broken free from their artificial home and taken root in earth below. The symbolic beauty of it stopped me in my tracks. 

How many days had we passed it and never noticed? We gave up on it and labeled it as useless. We disgarded it and forgot it ever existed. Maybe you have had seasons in your life like that. When you felt useless, disgarded, ignored. Maybe others gave up on you and maybe you even doubted your own worth. I know I have. But here is the good news. God has never stopped believing in us. Day by day, hour by hour, God continues providing what we need to grow and survive the harsh conditions. Often our growth is so slow and subtle that we just don’t see it. Yet through it all God remains faithful. Philippians 1:1 says, “I thank my God every time I remember you being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” 

May the promise of his faithfulness carry you through all the seasons of your life. May it inspire you to keep pushing against that which is artificial until you break through and find the source of life. May the good work that he began in you many years ago be brought to completion. 

Well what do you know. I guess it wasn’t really a failed art experiment after all.  

Until next time,

Pastor Leslie