Yesterday as my husband and I drove through Jerusalem to a ministry planning meeting, we enjoyed the budding and blossoming almond trees dotted along the highways and scattered throughout the city. Every year I thrill when they come into color. These dainty flowers boost my faith.

They represent a living sign planted within the earth that God promises to fulfill His word. And sometimes, just sometimes, His answers come early — just as the almond blossoms actually open up in late winter — even before spring. They are the earliest flowering tree to bloom!

But if God’s answers and promises don’t come early, they come. The blossom are meant to encourage our faith in a faithful God.

As I see the almonds before me this year I am taking hope as never before that God will answer all my prayers. Just as sure as the almond blossoms bloom, God will open the coffers of heaven and pour down solutions, answers, provision, and blessings that I cannot contain.

Then the Lord said to me, “Look, Jeremiah! What do you see?” And I replied, “I see a branch from an almond tree.” And the Lord said, “That’s right, and it means that I am watching, and I will certainly carry out all my plans.” ~ Jeremiah 1:11-13