This past year, I finished a captivating book about a leading figure in the Chinese underground church. The Heavenly Man tells of Bro. Yun’s testimony and life’s experiences. One account Bro. Yun shared was an event that happened to his family while he was in prison.

With no man to help her, Bro. Yun’s wife, Deling, had to work in the family’s fields all by herself to keep the family from starving to death. There was no help, only her crippled 60-year-old mother-in-law.

Deling didn’t know anything about gardening or planting. This proved to be evident when she went to plant sweet potatoes. When she sowed the sweet potato seeds, she planted them way too close together and too shallow in the soil.

Her neighbors made fun of her. They called her stupid and ignorant. She became the laughingstock of the village.

Deling was distressed about the problem she had created because of her ignorance, but there was nothing she could do about it. She was hurt from the rude comments, but she just kept on.

Harvest time came. The people in the village were disappointed with a poor harvest that year. Their sweet potatoes were only the size of tennis balls, half the size they should have been.

But when Deling dug up her sweet potatoes, hers were the size of basketballs.

What a miracle-working God! Where she had failed…where her ignorance had hindered her…God made up the difference!

You might feel like Deling did. You’ve tried to work situations out to the best of your ability, and it seems that you are only faced with more problems. You might be in the midst of a battle that you can’t fight. You might have done all you can do and are about to wave your flag in defeat.

I’ve been faced with similar problems where I’ve failed, and my faults and ignorance has glared me in the face. But the Holy Spirit has reminded me that He was the God of basketball-sized sweet potatoes. I might not have done things in the best way, but come harvest time He could make up the difference. I could trust Him. He was my Father. He was all-powerful. He had my case.

What makes you doubt the unseen hand,

When It’s proved able time and again?

What makes you uncertain of Its faithfulness,

When It’s found sure when put to the test?

What makes you question Its power and might

When It’s parted seas and made paths dry? 

It’s not shortened one bit;

It’s power’s not quenched.

You can trust It.

(10/12/2021)