Yum! These were delivered to our home yesterday! Perfecet way to start off the Strawberry Festival! Taste and see that this is good. Taste and see that the Lord is great!
Today my hometown will be bustling with visitors from all over the world. Yes, not just neighboring towns, but the world. Over the next eleven days there will be nearly one million people visiting our town of a little more than 34,000. Our traffic will be congested, strangers will be among us, much revenue will flow to our local businesses, and over 2,000 volunteers will assist in making the next eleven days a great southern success. Why? All because of a little fruit. Back in 1930 the local Lions Club wanted to celebrate the fruit that makes our small town infamous. (Click here to read a brief history of the festival.)
While reading some scripture this morning I couldn’t help but recognize some commonalities, yet some differences, between the festival and Jesus.
Just as rain and snow descend from the skies and don’t go back until they’ve watered the earth, doing their work of making things grow and blossom, producing seed for farmers and food for the hungry, so will the words that come out of my mouth not come back empty-handed. They’ll do the work I sent them to do, they’ll complete the assignment I gave them. “So you’ll go out in joy, you’ll be led into a whole and complete life. The mountains and hills will lead the parade, bursting with song. All the trees of the forest will join the procession, exuberant with applause. No more thistles, but giant sequoias, no more thornbushes, but stately pines—Monuments to me, to God, living and lasting evidence of God.” Isaiah 55:10-13
The Festival: The rain, cold, and sunshine all contribute to how the strawberry will taste and in its appearance. God’s watering and air conditioning systems aid the farmers to harvest sumptuous fruit to share with others and be shipped all over the world. At the end of the season the goal is to not only provide food for others, but to have a sweet financial return. People will come to the festival for fun, food, and award winning entertainment. The sounds of the midway, laughter, and songs will fill the air. Much applause will occur for the youth participating in the various competitions, for our stunning queen and court, and for the country/pop/Christian entertainers will that perform on the soundstage. The hundreds of thousands visitors will leave their mark on Plant City, and hopefully our town will leave a positive and enduring mark on them as well.
Jesus: God’s word will reap a harvest that is incomparable to anything else. His powerful, productive, and purposeful. Jesus will fill you with much joy! Abundant life will ensue when we grow with Christ. His love will make you want to sing (even if you can’t carry a tune), and give Him a standing ovation. Now, there may be some “thornbushes” that you come across at the festival, and you will along life’s path with Christ too. But stick with God and you will discover strength, beauty, and everlasting life. Life with Christ won’t end in eleven days…it’s eternal. Glory!!!
It’s time!…I hope that you will have the opportunity to visit and enjoy the Florida Strawberry Festival. Yet, I pray that you will delight yourself in the Lord Jesus Christ even more.
“These were his instructions to them: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.“ Luke 10:2 Can God count on you? It’s time!
I pray that you will enjoy soaking up The Son every moment of each day. –Stephanie
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