The Legacy

Wednesday, January 3, 2018
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Listen while you read: "Beneath The Shadow Of The Cross"1 (Lyrics)

1 Chronicles 28:8 – Now therefore in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the Lord, and in the hearing of our God, observe and search out all the commandments of the Lord your God; that you may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children after you forever. (NRSV)

When my wife and I retired and returned to the home in which I grew up, one of the projects that I was determined to start was having a vegetable garden.

Throughout my working life, I have always had flower beds surrounding the houses in which we lived, but I never had the time or the space to grow vegetables. Thus, I was really anticipating the opportunity to plant a garden and grow my own food.

However, I realized that the earth had not been cultivated in over ten years, and it had reverted back to weeds. Although I did not expect to have much success for the first season, I still wanted to cultivate the soil and restore its strength with compost. So, I sowed the seeds with low expectations of any good harvest.

Yet by mid-summer, the garden had really taken off, and we were starting to enjoy the first vegetables of the season. Visitors also commented on how well the garden was growing.

For my part, I thought that it was mainly good fortune and good weather that had given us such success.

It wasn't until one day when I was looking out over the land that the real truth came to me. There had been a garden in that spot for over 50 years, starting first with my father in the middle sixties, then continuing with my mother after he passed away. During their lifetimes, they had worked hard to keep the soil built up so that it would yield a good crop in its season. Although the land had remained fallow for several years when there was no one to tend it, the strength was there in the earth, waiting to be awakened once again.

What kind of spiritual legacy are we going to leave for those who follow us? Year after year, we have to be dedicated to striving to build up the faith of those around us. We mustn't be discouraged when we fail to see immediate results. Sometimes, it takes years before the seeds that we plant will spring forth into new growth.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, grant us the strength to persevere in times of discouragement. Help us to understand and accept that Your will, not ours, is to be done. Amen.

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About the author:

John Reeves <jxreeves@msn.com>
Coalburn, Nova Scotia, Canada

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1 Comment

  • PresbyCan Feedback says:

    Encouraging thoughts, John.


    A great story and so very true, John!


    Beautifully said. Thanks John.
    God bless you and your family always with His wisdom and truth.


    This is very appropriate as our congregation is laying complaints against the minister of our church.


    Enjoyed this very much John. It brought back many memories High School fifty years ago!
    Happy New Year and God Bless.


    Excellent word John. It is easy to become discouraged when years go by without any apparent change, but we are called to remain faithful and as you say, leave it in God’s hands.


    This is always a difficult time for me as I work to produce the first issue of a newspaper in 2018.
    Discouragement can easily creep in.
    Thanks for the reminder that it need not be so!


    Dear John,
    Thank you for the encouragement your devotional gave me this morning, to not become discouraged when the seeds we’ve planted take longer to sprout. Blessings on your day.


    Thank you for sharing this devotional with us. I too have been a gardener so your devotional spoke to me. Scripture states in the Old Testament that the land should be allowed to rest, be fallow, every seven years to rejuvenate. You’re experience proves the truth of the Word. Blessings.


    Dear John Reeves,
    Keep planting and praying for those for whom you are concerned. Ask God that the seed of his Word with the fertilizer of earnest prayer will cause growth of faith.
    Keep writing.
    Thanks for your devotional’s inspiring thoughts.


    Thanks, John, for writing. Many parts of life take years to harvest!!!
    Wish you would come to Texas to help with our garden. We need inspiration. Had a great one for a number of years. Now we are down to growing tomatoes in a key hole garden.
    Happy New Year to you and yours.
    (Texas)

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