Lighthouse Keeper

I planted, Apollos watered, but God [all the while] was causing the growth.( 1 Corinthians 3:6  AMP)

I thought I’d give you an update on the rose garden bed that I put back to lawn grass. 

I wrote a little post about sowing and reaping and yes, I sowed very generously. 

I used this stuff called Lawn Force. Quite proud of my efforts of putting in new top soil and putting the seed down. OK I had a bit of help from my friend’s landscaping business because the concrete garden beds needed ripping out too. 

 The Bible says that God will increase your store of seed and I had lots to work with. A whole packet of Lawn Force. 

So what happened? Did the grass grow?

Well yes but not because of my efforts. 

I wasn’t a particularly good steward. I probably watered it once a day but you’re meant to keep it damp 24/7. Then my Temu hose broke and I couldn’t be bothered ordering a new one in time. So not enough water. The seed didn’t germinate. The lawn was patchy and sad looking.  The packet said it would germinate in seven days-but it didn’t.

Until…

We had a wet spring week and then some sunshine and voila! The lawn took off.  Probably a month after I sowed the 7-day seed.

Now I can’t contain it. It needs mowing once a week from all the growth and it’s lush and green. The new seed I sowed generously from my own strength but the increase came from God. He brought the spring rain:

“Ask rain from the Lord in the season of the spring rain, from the Lord who makes the storm clouds, and he will give them showers of rain, to everyone the vegetation in the field” (Zechariah 10:1 ESV)

God all the while was causing growth. You can only do so much in your own efforts and the rest, leave to God. Praying over harvests or investments? Surrender them to God, be a good steward and plan and budget but ultimately, it is God who will bring the increase. Concerned about church growth? Preach the Gospel and leave the results up to God. Work with others as Paul worked with Apollos and give credit to the people around you who are also working in the harvest field. You can’t (and won’t) do it on your own. And most importantly, you can’t grow grass without God.  If you sow generously, you will reap generously but not because of your own efforts.