You Might Be a Farmer or a Priest — or Both
I stand at the edge of the farmfield, a yellowed and dead field waiting for a resurrection. A few amputated stalks bend with the wind, gilded hair blowing on an April morning.
I push my own hair out of my face, whipping wild as I pause on the rim of my world, atop a hill sculpted by the Father’s hand.
We are exposed, this field and I. Both of us have been emptied in our own harvests; we wait for a new planting.
A stripping-away in autumn. Hope for the reclothing in spring. With less of ourselves, we always see more of God.
“God’s got it.” Those are the words of my favorite farmer when he speaks of this holy work of dirt and seeds. Because here’s the Truth: we really never know what will happen after a new seed is planted into the floor of an earthen sanctuary. This field held corn last year. In a few weeks, we’ll plant soybeans in the same dirt. We rotate the crops, so we don’t deplete the soil of nutrients. I wonder what God will plant in you and I this spring? He is always doing a new thing — His own form of crop-rotation.
New plantings always feel risky. But we are all planting, or being planted — all of us. And we are all ordained — all of us.
You are a priest-farmer — yes, even you. You are preaching and planting something. You and I, we wear the white robe of a priest under the farm coveralls, the nurse’s scrubs, the postal uniform, the Army Kevlar. We plant in faithfulness. And the rest? Well, … “God’s got it.”
“May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us — yes, establish the work of our hands.” — Psalm 90:17
Linking up with Michelle today.
I love this. And your field looks like ours. And our field will also hold soybeans this year.
Wow, Jennifer. I'm feeling exposed right now. And like God has already run the plow through. Waiting to see what new seed he will plant.
Just across from our pasture hills roll green in winter wheat. I like the contrast of new growth with that still yet to be… in fields and in me.
Blessings.
(missed you, thank you for the prayers)
Beautiful! We do go through times of dryness where God works to renew our hearts and help us serve Him better. Even leads us to new assignments.
"And we are all ordained — all of us."
Today I read, "Lead me to the rock that is higher than I" and I saw in my mind an exposed hilltop, nothing between heaven and my own raised hands. Your words remind me again. Here am I, Lord. Plant what you will.
Love, love, love! xo
crop rotation… cool.
Gorgeous .
Your post has me restating it in my own words, chewing on it: We think we've got so many pieces of our lives figured out and under control, when in reality, the whole thing could be yanked out from under us in a single stroke. "God's got it," even when it looks like He doesn't, because only One is truly in charge. We still do the work, though, planning and planting. But in the end, it's up to Him.
Thank you for pointing us to the Lord (and showing us gorgeous pictures while doing so).
Oh, I love your farmer-husband's words: "God's got it." And I love the picture of a priest wearing kevlar–even the soil of a battlefield becomes holy ground when a believing soldier lays his foot on it.
Really, Jennifer?
How I would love to stand in your fields hearing your farmer say, "GOD's got it."
Such truth…
Me, I'm looking forward to what He's putting in that field of yours.
And thinking of Mark 4:27 and how that farmer just doesn't know how. I suppose priests don't really know how either.
I am ready for some crop rotation here :). Spring is such the new, the waking up, the birthing…those fallow fields in the photo? That's the real make-ready time. I've been chewing on this lately.
Love to you and the farmer. And the new crop.
beautiful as always – i pray that God is planting a deepening desire for more of Him in my heart!
"God's got it…" Boy, I love that one. Covers a lot of ground, doesn't it? 🙂
I wonder what God will plant in you and I this spring?
Wow, this made me stop & think this morning.
What will God plant in me this year? I wonder…but I'm not afraid of it. I am excited! This spring I am welcoming His new growth in me. Bring it on…"God's got it!"
Living for Him, Joan
God's got it
I have had to trust these words more than ever in the last few months
glad God lead me to you today
He's awesome like that
Beautiful pictures and post Jennifer. How true, with less of us, we always see more of Him.
I am waiting for a Spring planting in my own hard, working hard to remember that God's always got it.
Praying those fields produce abundantly this year.
Do you remember when we talked about plumbers and priests in that room overlooking the river? This reminds me of that conversation…how we all wear a robe.
You wear yours well, Jennifer.
Do you remember when we talked about plumbers and priests in that room overlooking the river? This reminds me of that conversation…how we all wear a robe.
You wear yours well, Jennifer.
Oh Jennifer, beautiful prose, photos, the metaphor, all of it. I get excited (and a little scared, I admit), when I think of God planting something new in me. Wow, I don't think I've ever quite thought of it that way before…
Thanks for linking up…this post is a great gift to me tonight and fuels a new excitement and anticipation!
The farming connection means a lot to me. I learn most while I'm in the barn or field. Thank!
Another stunning "farm read." I'd like to see a whole book of them. Hint.
peace~elaine