April 10

Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it. Gen. 2: 15.

I thought about this as I watered my garden this morning. Oh my garden is nothing like the Garden of Eden. It has weeds that surely were not in God's garden. And there are mosquitoes!

What is there about gardens that pleases the Lord so much that He would first think of placing man in one? Can it be that the cultivation and watering are symbols of creation? We were created in His image, so we are to be creative. But there must be more to this. There are sounds, smells, and sights in the garden that He Himself must also enjoy. There are things to touch, too. If we were made from the dust of the earth, can it be that we came also from God's garden? Can you see the master potter shaping us from the clay? How tenderly He must have molded us.

As I think of the plants in my garden, I can only dwell on the fact that they "know" their ultimate purpose. They are destined to become a bean, a beet, or whatever is ingrained within them. They know nothing about rebellion, or what we call sin. They just keep growing in the light of the sun. Why can't we be more like that? Oh, I know our gracious God gave us free will, but why do we abuse it? If only we could more clearly see our purpose and destiny. We, as Christians, have everything we need within us to serve our Lord. And in Him you have been made complete-- Col. 2: 10.

Our Lord is so bent upon gardens, that He even says "And you will be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters do not fail” Isaiah 58: 11. Today, as The Gardener tends my life, let me bear fruit for Him and be spring of fresh water to all those I meet. Amen.
                                        Back