Preview of God's Goodness

We have had two apple trees in our yard for three summers now.  Every spring we get excited at the sight of clusters of pink apple blossoms on our apple trees.  So far we have been greatly disappointed at the product.  Zip, Zero, Nada.  No apples.  This year was no exception.  Until one day this past week, as I was pulling into our driveway, my littlest one said with great gusto, "Mama, there's a red apple in our tree!"  Sure enough, we had one small, red apple growing towards the top of the tree.  We waited until the first frost for the apple to sweeten so we could pick it.  Every day pulling into that driveway, the red apple winked at us.  A promise of its sweet, juiciness tempted us.  Finally it was time.  I let the little one climb up and pick it.  We put it on the table and it sat.  Waiting.  Waiting for Daddy to come home so we could all share in our tree's first fruit.  The boys picked it up, smelled it, they held it, begging to eat it.  Repeatedly.  They kept asking when Daddy would be home.  Finally, Daddy came home.  We sliced it.  We ate it.  It was good.  Now, we just need to wait one whole year to repeat this process.  Hopefully, next fall our trees will be full of apples.

Sorry the pictures are sideways.  Couldn't get them to load right.  Grrr.

This simple apple was profound for me.  While my thoughts went a bit deeper and more personally into my life, I wanted to share a bit of what God spoke to me.  You see, when things are tough or empty, God has a promise for us.  That apple is a promise of sweet, juicy goodness that is to come.  In the next few years we will harvest more and more apples. It offers us a glimpse of what the future maybe.  Also, while I was disappointed all summer, let down and thinking we had nothing we could get from our trees, God was working a small miracle in a little apple.  AND, I could not see it.  Just because I could not see the goodness, did it mean that it wasn't there?  There was something I could not see.  But it was there!  I love this illustration.  It touched my heart.  Often I can not see what goodness God is working.  But that doesn't mean it is not there. 

O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusts in him. Psalm 34:8

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Also, I love that sometimes we can see the apple.  It sits there and we have to wait for that sweet goodness.  My boys had to wait.  They saw the apple. Then they could touch the apple.  But still had to wait.  Sometimes we can see God's promise off in the distance.  BUT we have to wait.  And oh boy, can that waiting be tough.

O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusts in him. Psalm 34:8