Sweet Potato

Friday, May 30, 2014
Listen to this devotional:
Listen while you read: "No Never Alone"1 (Lyrics)

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!

Forward this devotional     Share this devotional on Facebook     Like PresbyCan on Facebook

About the author:

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

Send your feedback to the author

1 Comment

  • PresbyCan Feedback says:

    Enjoyed your words so much.


    Good words Kirsta. God bless you.


    That was beautifully written! What a wonderful comparison! Thank you!
    (Arkansas)


    This devotional was beautifully written! Your eyes may be dimming, but your thoughts are full of light!


    Beautiful message and visual Kirsti. Thank you for a refreshing start to my day.
    Blessings to you.


    Good morning Kirsti, Thank you for submitting your meditation.
    I thought it was very well done with lots of food for thought.God bless you in your new apartment.


    Hi Kirsti
    What an amazing story and wonderful insights too!
    Blessings.


    Dear Kirsti,
    Thank you for this lovely look into a bit of your life and the life of your potato. What a message — good one for this season of spring. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us.


    Hi today’s devotion was so comforting. I am right now in the process of downsizing to a very small apartment. And my stuff has been in storage. I have TOO much, snd know I have to again downsize.
    I have enjoyed your devotions for years and will continue to as you keep writing.
    God bless you.


    Dear Kristi,
    Thank you for a very blest and blessing devotional.
    You have, in an interesting way, made the gospel very plain. Keep writing.
    Yes, and you can set your sweet potato into soil too! I hope you have room for at least a few plants. They definitely add to our joys in God’s creation.


    Kirsti: The title of your devotional contribution aroused my attention and I wondered where you were going to take me in thought.
    Then came your description of your present living quarters detailing exactly what our apartment looks like decorated with multiple knick knacks brought from our North American and foreign trips.
    Then I proceeded to add to my interest as I coursed deeper into what your thoughts were outlined to teach us. Thanks for the time it must have taken with your inspiration based on a simple sweet potato that I eventually came to enjoy anyway … as I now enjoy a faith in our Lord, the Christ, the same Gift that you also acknowledge and have the such an ‘appetite’ for.
    May God continue to bless you and yours.

Previous Post
«
Next Post
»
 



PresbyCan is a community of faithful, Holy Spirit-filled, Christ-centred, God-honouring Christians.