The
Word uses the analogy of sowing and reaping the harvest in regard to the virtue
of patience. In fact we’re in a season now that’s
considered harvest for certain crops I’d like you to use that incredible
imagination that God has given you to
get a mental image of the setting I’m going to share. As I’m sharing this, I’d
like for you to search your own memory bank for your own taste memory similar
to this one . . .
When I was younger my father loved to grow
fruit trees. In our backyard at different times we had red and yellow apple
trees, a pear tree, peach trees, a pecan tree, a cherry tree
(which the birds would eat before we did –the pie pans and the plastic snake in
the tree didn’t help much!) a Chinese pear tree, and grape vines. But the tree I remember the most was a peach
tree in the far corner of the yard –it was greatly valued by all because it was
a white peach tree. For those of you who
haven’t experienced a white peach – it’s as close to fruit heaven as you can
get (Yes, there will be white peaches in heaven!)
I
once heard a man share his vision of heaven and the fragrant flower he
encountered there. It smelled like a
magnolia, he remembered. (Heaven must be like Georgia. . . So, I guess there
must be white peaches there too!) The
flesh of this peach is a creamy white and the center is an extremely bright
neon pink and the taste of it when fully ripe is so incredibly juicy and sweet you
never forget it . Sometimes as kids we’d be a little hasty and you know, just try one, fully knowing that it probably
wasn’t ripe, but maybe wishing would make it so. A peach that’s not ripe is green and hard,
and not sweet or juicy at all . . .it’s extremely disappointing. If you
knew what it’s supposed to taste like you wouldn’t really want to eat this
peach when it’s not ripe. (I heard a Dr. once say that eating unripe food actually
produced toxins in the body!) Consider the example that you thought about
. It’s not just the visual memory that
persuades you to wait – it’s the taste memory that gives you the patience to
wait. It’s because you have the memory and experience of how good a ripe one
is that you can wait. Because you know how good it will be. . .We
each need to have a revelation of how good it will be. We need to ask the Spirit to specifically
give us a revelation of how good it is going to be- so we can wait with patience
and even joy!(see Isaiah 64:4 . . . God has prepared it for those who
wait,..but he’s also revealed it to us by His spirit.)
So
like a kid you’re standing there looking at that peach tree. What do you
do? Go do something else. Go play!
Don’t stand there looking at the tree!
You’ve got stuff to do!- Anyway it’s for an appointed time, an appointed
season. When the time is right God will
tell you and bring you back . .and it will be ready . When it’s ready - you will be ready. Dressed appropriately for the season, ready
for the gift, picking
the fruit that’s totally ripe – that’s totally ready. And you’ll enjoy its fruit and thank
God that you waited.
James5:7-8 “The husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the Earth (What is the
fruit he’s talking about here ? . .family members, souls) and hath long patience for it until he
receives the early and latter rain. So
be ye also patient . . establish your hearts.”
As
teachers we need “long patience” and “established hearts” with many of our
students. I think about my beginning
readers, and how much patience we both exercise in this process. Just as I encourage every little effort and
success made by a child, God is even more patient and encouraging toward His
children and our feeble attempts at learning and doing His will. He has extreme
patience with us. Therefore, we should have extreme patience for Him and respect for His
plan!
If you think, “Well, God’s not
telling me enough right now.” Realize
that if He told you the exact date something was going to happen- you’d
probably freak out! (You know anticipation is a very difficult emotion to live
with!) God gave me this analogy: It’s like a parent wanting to share something
incredible or wonderful with their child (Ex. a favorite movie or book -like
the Wizard of Oz) It’s a wonderful thing
but the child really isn’t ready or quite old enough for it. . .they don’t have
the maturity necessary to enjoy or appreciate it in all its aspects, but the
parent does it anyway, and the child is terrorized! I think it’s like this with the Lord, like
a natural parent He so much wants to share the awesome
things He has planned for us- the upcoming blessings and incredible experiences
–(this is what prophecy is all about,) but if he shares too much –He runs the
risk of freaking us out. If He shares
too little – he knows we’re wondering if he’s even aware of our situation and
does he even care. It’s a rather difficult dilemma he has.
But
don’t worry . . .be patient through each
season, and enjoy the journey- everything will occur in good time, . . all in
good time. All you need is just a little patience.
S.
Kitts © 2016
I hope you have enjoyed this message from our guest blogger Stephanie Kitts, Title I Reading Specialist in Dinwiddie County, Virginia.
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