Gardening thoughts III -- growth starts out hidden

I do love my little "Jack in the Pulpit" plants! And my trillium, and all those native plants that I have pampered and babied and cooed over each spring when they pop up.

They don't show themselves until they are ready, though . . .
"I bet there's nothing but weeds and poison ivy in here," I thought, as I dug in with my gardening trowel. Nope.
There, lying on the freshly turned soil, were some of my bulbs. I guess they are more like rhizomes, if we want to get technical, which I don't. Gardening is fun, and having to be technically correct can spoil my day. (Grin) Anyway, these are tiny bulbs, not the larger ones like daffodils or hyacinth or other bloomers.
These shy little guys love to grow in the shade, in moist soil, quietly doing their own thing. Which is being cute. And producing some yummy seeds later on for the chipmunks to munch on.
Back to my story.
"I guess there's something growing here, after all," I told myself. "Hafta choose another spot."

The moral of the story: often it's the hidden things we don't see that produce life we can see.

Right?
Right.
Here are several verses to check out:

After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, (Matthew 14:23)

After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. (Mark 6:46)

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. (Mark 1:35)

When our Lord was here on earth, His work wasn't always out in the open, out in public. He often sought quiet, rest, and prayer. He not only valued those moments himself, but He encouraged His disciples when they were weary:

Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” (Mark 6:31)

He still tells us this today. If we'll only listen.
What do we think of when we think of "doing His work"? Or when we think of His work in us? Do we focus only on what is visible?
Are we so zeroed in on the Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes, the committee meetings, the choir practices, the responsibilities, the busyness -- that we leave out the less visible work? The unseen times of meditation and prayer?
I don't mean to disparage the service that God has called us to. If He has asked us to step forward and accept a task, then we should lean our shoulder to the wheel and work hard! He will strengthen us and equip us for the job He's asked us to do.
But we should not look down on the quiet, hidden work, either. We need to avoid being so wrapped up in "doing" that we neglect or skimp at being at His feet in worship and awe. It's in these quiet times that He may be working in the soil of our hearts, preparing us to grow something beautiful. Something we haven't seen yet.
And that growth starts with us, sitting with our Bibles, hearts, and ears open. It starts with our laying our prayers at His feet. It starts with us in the car singing songs of praise as we go to work or the store, or wherever. It begins with our commitment to spend time alone with Him.

But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Matthew 6:6)

Father, draw us to you; strengthen and equip us to do your work!