I am a novice gardener. I’d like to say that I am enjoying the challenge of bringing forth fruit and vegetables from the earth, but truthfully I am usually just challenged by the challenge. My excitement is at its peak when I am picking out the packets of seeds that will go into the ground. There are so many to choose from, the store display full of envelopes displaying the beautiful produce that their contents were designed by God to bring forth. I bring them home and lay out a plan for where they’ll best thrive in my little garden plot. As I open the packages, my optimism starts to fade…on the outside of the package is a glossy color picture of the beautiful garden produce; but I feel somewhat slighted when I peel back the package to find little specks of lifeless seeds clinging to the bottom of the envelope, seemingly staging their own mini rebellion at having their dark cavern ripped open. I can barely see them as I try to obediently plant them their prescribed depth in the soil. A prayer seems appropriate at this point as I am made aware of the truth of Scripture that says “neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who giv ...
