Jeremiah 1:11-12

Moreover the word of the LORD cam to me, saying, "Jeremiah what do you see?" And I said, "I see a branch of an almond tree." Then the LORD said to me, "You have seen well, for I am ready to perform My word."
Jeremiah 1:11-12

The significance of seeing the almond tree was hard for me to understand until I read about it in the SDA Bible Commentary. According to the Commentary there is a play on words in the original Hebrew between the almond tree and the being ready to perform His word. The name of the almond tree in Hebrew comes from a word that means "to be wakeful". The almond tree is the first tree to "wake" in the spring, blossoming in Palestine as early as January. What is translated in verse 12 as "am ready", also comes from the same Hebrew root word. So, according to the commentary, what was said in verses 11 and 12 would be something like "I see the twig of a wake-tree... You have seen aright, for I am wakeful over my word to perform it."
It seems God is using imagery to bring his point to Jeremiah that Jeremiah would understand much better than I do. God showed Jeremiah the wake-tree, the almond, to illustrate that just as the almond wakes in the early spring and brings forth its blossoms, so God was waking to perform His word. In God's time frame, it is now the correct time to awaken and do what He has been warning about. God has continuously warned Judah that they needed to repent or judgment would come upon them. God is ready to bring this judgment on Judah. Jeremiah will be His instrument to give a final warning. It is still not too late for the nation to turn and give their hearts to God. Later God will make it clear that He desires that the people will turn from their destructive path and let Him change the outcome from horror to happiness. But if Judah continues to choose wrongly, God is ready to perform His word.

Lord,
Help me to be awake to Your word and to your leading. Also, let it be said of me that I see well. I want to see and obey Your word for my life. Give me the strength and courage today that I need to do the things You give me the wisdom to see and understand.