Some weeks ago I posted a picture of the lemon tree with blooms of hope. Hope for another great harvest of lemons. At the time it was warm, sunshiny and all was good. I was looking with great expectation towards an abundance of lemons. But who knew that we would be hit by an almost deep freeze in the middle of April? Now, after the frost, there are no blooms. What should I expect now?
I must confess, my spirit is sometimes weary. It’s been seven weeks of despair. People are dying. Families are without jobs and without food. Yesterday, I read that China has a resurgence of the outbreak and I felt hopeless. When will this end? When will I lie on the beach again? Sit with thousands and enjoy smooth jazz at the Seabreeze Jazz festival? Visit my family in Mississippi or even just enjoy the fellowship of friends in the back yard? How long Lord?
I am reminded of a Psalm, “I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living”. (Psalm 27:13). I have to remember that last year after almost ten years of producing nothing, this lemon tree burst forth with so many lemons that I gave them away to all of my neighbors who wanted them and only within the last couple of weeks have I used the last of the frozen lemon juice ice cubes for my daily hot tea. And so I must continue to feed and water the lemon tree with great expectation that it will bloom again and it will again produce a great harvest.
“Though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crops fail, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, YET will I rejoice in the Lord!” (Habakkuk 3: 17-18)
Stay strong friends! We will bloom again. A great harvest is coming.
#IAmMyFathersGarden