Psalm 24:1-2 – The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for He founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters. (NIV)

A small apartment is my home now, and the many tiny gifts given to me over the years decoratively enhance my room. There are some angel figurines, pictures, and Bible verses around that make my simple existence comfortable and content. I do not have plants to take care of any more like I used to. I had a green thumb, and my plants and flowers showed it.

One day, I bought some sweet potatoes once again from the market. One was sitting on the counter for days when I noticed green shoots peeking out of it. I found that amazing, so I decided to cut the end off and place it in a cup of water. I watched the still tiny shoots get bigger and stronger, showing amazing, tender, new growth that is a delight to my dimming eyes.

The tiny sweet potato reminds me of my gardening days gone by and fills me with the wonder of new growth. Each day, its leaves get greener and fold around into a display of fine art. Leaves multiply on the strong stems that branch out, each stem giving support for the leaves that are full of plant life.

I look at the sweet potato before me, and I think of Jesus looking at each of us as a sweet potato sitting a long time, lifeless, till one day, a tiny sprout bursts out into His light. From a dead and godless human being, God nurtures us in His water, the fountain of life, a new being to His delight. Think of how God plants us and watches the souls He made growing in His Spirit into faith, into vibrant plants in His garden — in a world in need of awakening from its ungodliness and error in all things against God.

The power of God has been active since the time when God created the universe and all that is in it. Spiritual poverty darkened the world, but God already had a rescue plan in Jesus Christ through Whom we might be saved. God the Father sent Him down to earth to gather His church from all corners of the earth to be in His kingdom. And the depth of our sin was erased on the cross where Jesus took upon Himself our guilt and died for our sins.

This spiritual reality is sweeter than just a potato in its splendour. To me, it is a powerful vision of the power of God changing a soul from spiritual poverty to spiritual riches, from spiritually dead to alive in God's Spirit! God gave us Jesus for more than we might know.

This has been my lesson filled with gratitude to God today as I sought to admire my sweet potato through the eyes of God!

2 Corinthians 3:4 – Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. (RSV)

Prayer: Father God, thank You for beginning to grow us into what is pleasing to You and for providing us with Jesus as our Redeemer. In His name. Amen!

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About the author:

Kirsti Sipila <kirstiksipila@hotmail.com>
Brantford, Ontario, Canada
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