Christians are not Tomatoes.

Two weeks ago I engaged in one of my favorite February rituals: The Annual Planting of the Tomato Seeds. I like to grow the tomatoes in my garden from seeds, its more interesting that way. So recently I filled two disposable aluminum casserole dishes with potting soil and stuck about 50 tomato seeds in them. I stuck them by the sunny window in my office and waited. And waited. And waited. I tried to get some other things done while I was waiting, but its hard. I just like to dream about the future, imagine the fresh pico de gallo, and the tomato basil bruschetta that awaits us this summer.

But during the first seven days nothing happens. At least it looks like nothing is happening. The seeds haven't germinated yet, or stuck their heads above the soil. It makes me anxious. What if none of them grow? I try to help. I talk to them, make sure they are properly watered, and left in a warm location. But what can I do, really? They're tomato seeds; they're so tiny. And I'm just a guy with a pan of dirt and some water.

It reminds me of church. As the pastor of our little church I have grandiose dreams. I like to dream about the day when our little church building will be filled up with people. I dream of revival hitting our town, seeing lost sinners come to Jesus, seeing luke-warm begin to burn with passion, and seeing the committed become even more active in their love for the Lord and mission to our community. I dream of seeing us as a holy church, people loving each other despite their sin, being patient, forgiving each other, reaching out, reaching in, sighing in prayer, worshiping with full hearts, growing in grace, etc. You get the picture. Normal things that every pastor would like to see for his church.

But at the same time I am painfully aware of my inability to bring this about. I'm just a guy. I can provide the dirt and the water (the gospel and the means of grace), but ultimately we wait for the Lord to give the growth. Only God can change a person's heart, can remove a cold heart of stone and give a true heart of flesh. Only God can break a hardened sinner, so that he desires repentance and forgiveness. We are at the Lord's mercy, and we wait for him.

The growth of tomatoes, mysterious though it is to me, is still a natural phenomenon. I can be relatively sure that if I put a tomato seed in some moist soil at the right temperature, that it will grow. It's natural. But the conversion of sinners is a supernatural act. The preaching of the gospel does not work automatically. It works when the Holy Spirit of God accompanies it with his power. We scatter seeds, and wait to see if God gives growth.

Thinking about this drives me to my knees. I regularly set goals that I can't accomplish in my own power. So I pray. Praying for the Lord to break hearts, to let the light of the gospel shine clearly, to seek out and to save those who are lost.

It's humbling to know that you are powerless to accomplish your primary career objectives! But it's good to know that God is able to do far more abundantly that all I ask or think! This really isn't my career objective. This is the Lord's work, He is the one building His kingdom. It's a privilege for me to have a part to play. I am responsible to fulfill my calling, and to leave to God to do his part. And to rest in the knowledge that even if my dreams for our church seem impossible to me, they are small dreams when compared to what the Lord has planned!