January 26

Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who gave you birth. When I called him, he was but one; then I blessed him and multiplied him. — Isa 51:2 BSB

When we were in the East, we observed the process of growing rice. The rice is sown in mud and water, plowed by great buffaloes, and after a few weeks, pale green shoots appear above the water. The plants grow thickly together, so you can pull up many at once. But then comes the process of transplanting.

God does something similar with us. He plants us close to other believers in the early stages of our faith, but eventually, we must be transplanted into places where we rely directly on Him. In these new situations, we take on more responsibility and service, growing stronger as we lean on His grace.

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
Whose confidence is in Him.
He will be like a tree planted by the water,
That sends out its roots by the stream.