How is Your Garden?
There is a place south of where we live in Alvin, Texas, where you can go to pick your own vegetables and fruit. Cyndi and I went down there last Monday and picked green beans, zucchini, potatoes and blackberries. This place is huge, and they have a multitude of things growing (many of which we did not get). We did not get as much as we wanted because they are getting picked over every day. Some things were plentiful while others were too small to pick.
We also have a small garden with yellow and spaghetti squash, banana pepper, zucchini, tomatoes, cucumbers, and okra. So far, the yellow squash is producing the most, but the others are starting to grow and ripen as well. We also have zinnias galore, and the butterflies like them.
Thousands of years ago, the Creator and Designer of all things brought forth the first vegetables and fruits by speaking them into existence. Genesis 1:11,12 tells us, “Then God said, 'Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees on the earth bearing fruit after their kind with seed in them'; and it was so. 12 The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit with seed in them, after their kind; and God saw that it was good.” (NASB) Ever since this time, we take the seeds from these things, plant them and produce food to eat for ourselves and families. Most of us today do not grow our own things but go to a grocery store to retrieve them. I will admit that it is cooler to walk through an air-conditioned store than it is to pick these in the hot sun.
As I thought about this, I thought of our spiritual garden. How is your spiritual garden growing? Paul wrote in Colossians 3:12-13, “So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.” Are you showing compassion to those who are in need? Are you being kind to others? Are you growing in humility? How about your gentleness (meekness)? Is your patience producing better? Are you bearing with one another? And are you growing in your forgiveness for each other?
There may be some other things in your spiritual life that needs tending as well. Are you reading God’s Word? Are you praying? Are you putting Him first in your life?
One thing about gardens is that sometimes weeds begin to grow and crowd out the good things. If you have been letting the weeds grow in your spiritual life, today is the day to go to work and repent and show God He is important to you. You won’t be sorry!!