Today's Lent Reflection comes from Tammie Ferguson as she reflects on Lent as a time 'keep digging' into our spiritual life.
The Dominican sun was relentless. The humidity almost took your breath away. As I dug my shovel into the dirt to help excavate the foundation for what would be a home the size of my bedroom back in Georgia, I noticed that there were distinct layers in the soil. The first layer was stony, and the rocks were large enough that we picked them up with two hands to throw them to the side. The next layer reminded me of Mississippi clay. It was clumpy and very heavy to lift.
As I continued digging, I came to the last layer, which was dark, rich and so fertile that it smelled like manure. As I gazed closer, I noticed earthworms and other insects trying to burrow themselves deeper into the ground, so as not to be exposed. They were also digging.
God revealed to me during that week of laboring in the heat that I needed to keep digging in my spiritual life as well. I stood in the trenches we had dug for the foundation of a home and was reminded that in our Christian journeys we are also in the trenches. Sometimes we turn away from God, but God says when we are tempted, He will provide a way out so we can endure (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Sometimes we feel like we’re pressing and digging and not gaining any ground, but we must remember that the Apostle Paul tells us that our labor is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58). The parable in Matthew 13 tells of seeds planted in fertile soil and how they sprouted, grew and produced a crop. Here at Habitat for Humanity, we’ve made groundbreaking advances in bringing people together to build homes, communities and hope. There is still more digging to be done. May God continue to bless us with fertile soil and help us to plant seeds of hope that sprout, grow and produce abundant fruit.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You that You are Lord of all and that You have given us hearts to serve others. Bless us to keep the faith and continue digging physically and spiritually until we reach the fertile soil. We know that our labor is not in vain regardless of how heavy and cumbersome the workload may feel. May our seeds and our planting reach out across the earth, over all creation. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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