Growing where I’m planted
I sat down to the computer a few minutes ago to think about some answers to K’s tag, but found my mind wandering. I have pondered a great deal today about something our family read in the scriptures this morning. We were reading Jacob’s allegory of the olive tree.
Though I know that this allegory is largely about Israel and the Gentiles, I felt today that there was so much more depth this his words. I truly felt the call of a loving Father and Savior in the words today. One thing that struck me the most was this:
21 And it came to pass that the servant said unto his master: How comest thou hither to plant this tree, or this branch of the tree? For behold, it was the poorest spot in all the land of thy vineyard.
22 And the Lord of the vineyard said unto him: Counsel me not; I knew that it was a poor spot of ground; wherefore, I said unto thee, I have nourished it this long time, and thou beholdest that it hath brought forth much fruit.23 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto his servant: Look hither; behold I have planted another branch of the tree also; and thou knowest that this spot of ground was poorer than the first. But, behold the tree. I have nourished it this long time, and it hath brought forth much fruit; therefore, gather it, and lay it up against the season, that I may preserve it unto mine own self.
How often do we ask Him, “What are you doing? What am I doing here??” In essence, “Why did you plant me here, in this poor spot of ground, when others seem to be planted right where they want to be?” I have caught myself so often, thinking, “I try to do the right things…why don’t I receive the blessings I wish I had?”
When I read Jacob today, I felt like the Lord was kindly speaking to me in my heart, telling me that He knows where He planted me, and that it was for a purpose. But even more than that, I could feel Him telling me that He has “nourished [me] this long time.” I examined my life again in that moment and felt so abundantly blessed as I thought of my blessings, and that my life truly “hath brought forth much fruit.”
As Isaiah says, we truly are “the planting of the Lord,” if we so choose to be. He plants us where He knows we will best thrive, if we choose to. Later in the allegory of the olive tree, we do hear the Lord crying out in sorrow, “What could I have done more for my vineyard?”
He will nourish us abundantly, but we have to accept that nourishment. If we do, we will “bring forth much fruit.”
I have a spot of ground in front of my house that is just stubborn. It is amazing, in this richly fertile soil out here, that such a spot exists. It is my ornery soil. :) I water it and it just won’t accept the water! It runs right down to other places. It doesn’t matter if I soak it to death. It just won’t absorb the water. I try to force the water in by poking long holes in the dirt and filling them in. The water usually stays in the holes and won’t soak into the soil around it. How often are we like that in our hearts?
I find myself recommitting tonight to accept His nourishment and trust that He truly knows where I and my family should be planted, physically and spiritually. If we allow Him to nourish us, we will be abundantly blessed, regardless of what happens!
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