Isaiah 61:11 (NIV)

¹¹ For as the soil makes the sprout come up
and a garden causes seeds to grow,
so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness
and praise spring up before all nations.

Tonight I got a chance to share in the planting of a pumpkin garden.  This is a unique garden in that we are planting with an intentional harvest in mind.  For the last few years I have been a part of a group of people called Family on Mission (FOM) whose goal is to share life together. This includes working together as a body of believers in worship, the study of God’s word, faithful prayer, sharing a meal together, working together on a joint mission and of course laughing together. This is an open group and anyone is welcome to join us.

 The joint mission we have adopted is a group of people who life has sometimes handed some pretty hard knocks.  One Sunday of the month we simply provide a meal and try our best to show the residents what it is like to be loved the way Jesus loves us. This can sometimes mean a dance party, a movie night, a Thanksgiving meal with all the fixings, and of course a pumpkin decorating contest in October.  The last two years getting enough pumpkins has been hard so with God’s blessing we have decided to grow our own.

 One of the best parts of FOM is the interdenominational and inter generational aspect.  It is easy to understand the outcome when you plant a pumpkin seed.  With proper sunshine and water God will provide us with pumpkins.  Planting seeds when it comes to the hearts of people is a whole different thing.

 For a couple of hours every week we as a family of believers share life together. In regularly meeting together as a group, we are modeling what it is like to love Jesus.  I love watching the children from preschoolers to young teens interacting with adults that love Jesus. Friends have invited friends and together we continue to plant the seeds in the hearts of each other and the hearts of the residents of our mission group.  Along with a bountiful harvest of pumpkins we are hoping that the seeds of Christ’s love will multiply as well.

 Ask yourself this week what seeds you have helped plant over the last year?  I think this passage is about more than just planting pumpkin seeds.