The Earth Gives Reluctantly

Then shall the earth yield her increase, and God, even our own God, shall bless us. Anyone who has tended a garden knows that the earth gives reluctantly. Soil must be worked, seeds watered, weeds pulled, and patience exercised. Harvest is never guaranteed by effort alone. That is why the psalmist links increase with God’s blessing. We do our part, but growth is His gift. A carrot pulled from the ground is a small miracle of that partnership. Give thanks for every harvest, large or small. Each one is a sign that God, our own God, is blessing us.