“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?  Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” (Psalm 43:5).

 

Two years ago on a Saturday morning in early April, the family sat bedside in what would be my Mom’s final few weeks to live.  My Dad asked that Jeff and I go to Home Depot and buy him some tomato plants.  Gardening is a peaceful distraction to life’s distresses.  So we went and bought my Dad three 4” plants including an additional one I decided to buy for myself.  Dad planted his next to the house and I went home later and planted mine right in the middle of a proven garden.  

 

The weeks went on and I watered my plant on a regular basis which was needed as 2011 proved to be one of the worst droughts Houston has ever experienced.  My Mom died three weeks later and so did everything outside.  There seemed to be a constant reminder of death that spring and summer as the grass, plants, and trees turned more and more brown.  

 

Dad’s tomato plants actually sprang to life and we picked several from each plant in June.  I continued to water mine but the leaves fell off and it remained its original size.  By July I lost hope.  I quit watering and quit caring.  By now the weather was stifling, the recent life events were heartbreaking, and my sense of hope was squeezed.  

 

The men’s retreat in August helped recharge my batteries and then at the end of September we finally got our first rain in six months.  Shortly after as I was passing by that tomato plant I noticed it doubled in size.  I couldn’t believe it!  How did this little plant lie dormant for five months and still have life.  Well it did and it rained another couple of times and by October this plant was four feet tall and produced 30 hearty tomatoes.  

 

Each day it grew I felt a sense of optimism and hope spring back alive inside of me.  At one point I wondered if it was Mom speaking to me through the plant saying “there’s still hope, Steve, I’m still here, and everything is going to be alright”.  But then I realized for sure it was God speaking to me saying “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.  Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.  They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them.  Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world” (Psalm 19:1-4), and “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20).

 

This life is full of obstacles that will challenge and test our faith and hope in God.  We have to lean on him for help during those times and open our eyes to his reminders that he is in control and in charge and has filled this world with his love.  Even when it feels like all is lost the Christian says, “I lift up my eyes to the mountains, where does my help come from?  My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:1-2).

 

God renewed my faith and hope in him through his word, prayer, and worship but also through a simple little 4” tomato plant.

 

With whom do you place your hope?  The Lord!

 

Who will get you through?  The Lord!

 

Who loves you and will take care of you?  The Lord!

 

Praise be to His name!