Planting a Prayer

For the last few months our life group has been doing a DVD series called The Circle Maker based on the book by Mark Batterson.  The book focuses on intentional prayer, praying often, and praying big.  One of the things that stuck with me in the wrap up of the series was the analogy of prayer being like planting a tree.  It was a pretty brief mention but it stuck with me.  Every day I go down to our basement to what has become our "plant" room.  It's filling up with plants we want to grow in our garden come spring.  I have felt really convicted to grow our own food.  OK, I have a little spring fever going on!

When we first planted everything it was just buried seeds and our hope that they would grow that got us started.  Much like prayers.  You never know when that little seed is going to sprout.  In the Circle Maker, Mark Batterson mentions a story of an old man who planted a tree that wouldn't bear fruit for 70 years.  When asked why he would plant something he would never benefit from he said it was for his children and his grandchildren to enjoy.  He had enjoyed fruit from the same type of tree that his dad and grandfather had planted for him.

Some of you have planted things before.  This is our first time ever trying to grow a garden.  It is so exciting.  Every day we check on the plants and make sure to keep them watered...  like praying everyday for what God lays on our hearts.  When the first little sprout came up we were thrilled to see growth... like the excitement you feel when you start to notice changes God is making in your life.

You start to get feel a rush when your plants grow tall and their leaves get big.  The plant is growing stronger by the day...  Eventually, with continued watering and care, the plant will bear fruit for everyone to enjoy.  We are all works in progress.  When we go to God and trust what he puts in our lives to care for, we produce fruits that everyone around us can enjoy.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ~ Galatians 5:22-23

Plant a prayer and watch what God can do in your life.