The Garden

  This is a devotional I wrote two years ago. After cleaning up my draft and making a few changes, I now present to all my work. May this be a blessing to you.
                                                                                                                    

     As I begin to work in my garden, I am reminded of how God works in our lives.

     I begin by tilling the soil, breaking apart hard clumps of dirt. This symbolizes God working in the heart of an unbeliever. The smoothing of the ground reminds me of when God reveals to one the hopelessness of sin and life apart from God, and how trusting in Christ's death and resurrection -'by faith alone'- is the only way to God and Heaven. This understanding clears one's vision and removes many doubts, the lumps of dirt. As I gently place the plant into the ground, I see a new believer. He is just a young Christian, portrayed by the infant plant, and especially needs much protection and guidance from the Gardener.
     As time goes by, the plant begins to grow. The enemy -weeds- surround and trap the young life, seeking to destroy it. Sometimes the weeds almost overtake the little plant, but the Gardener removes the antagonists and places protection around his seedling, just as God helps Christians through the trials and tribulations of life. He also waters his plant, in which the liquid quenches it's thirst. For Christians, God's holy Word -the Bible- satisfies our spiritual thirst as we learn more of the Savior that gave His life sacrificially for us. Watering also reminds me of how God so graciously showers us with so many blessings.
     Finally, after many weeds have been plucked and many showers have been poured, the little seedling has grown into a great and healthy organism. Christians likewise must grow in Christ, becoming more like Him in our actions and thoughts as we gain wisdom and knowledge from God. If the plant doesn't grow or bare fruit, we're concerned, and so we should be. The gardener expects the plant to bring forth fruit. It's the same on our lives: one claiming Christ as his Savior must show proof of the change in his life. We expect to be able to easily see what a Christian believes.
     Harvest has come and gone, and once it's fruit has been picked, the plant begins to wilt and eventually dies. Some plants may have bore more fruit than others, grew bigger, or lasted longer, but eventually all pass away. However, once it has died, the plant is placed into the compost and is left there throughout the next few months as it decomposes. When the next spring comes around, the broken remains of that plant and many others will be used to enrich the soil for the new seedlings. Christians of earlier times complete the same task, making our lives fuller and richer through their example and faithfulness to God. Even a wilted, deteriorated plant can be used to impact another.
     Now, as the trees lose their leaves to autumn and the smell of winter is in the air, I stand by my empty garden. After gazing over the bare grounds, I close my eyes and review all that has happened to the plant I had so carefully and tenderly watched over. I remember all the preparation, commitment, and attention I gave it. My mind then takes me to look back on my own life: how God revealed himself and His never-ending love to me and how I accepted Christ as my personal Savior; how God took care of and watched over me throughout the difficult times in my life and blessed me in innumerable ways; how I've grown in grace, wisdom, and knowledge of my loving Lord.
     Having reviewed these two trains of events, I first realized that, without the gardener, the plant could not have grown and became everything it was suppose to be. I then realized a more important truth: without God, we can neither grow nor become everything we can be. We cannot live our lives with the fullest potential and everlasting joy and peace without our Gardener.