Tag Archives: Gardening

Jun8

The Master Gardener

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30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers

That are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow,

He will certainly care for you.

Why do you have so little faith?

31 “So don’t worry …

Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.

33 Seek the Kingdom of God
~above all else~ and live righteously,

And he will give you everything you need.

Matthew 6:30-33 (NLT)

 

Profuse blossoms of wildflowers artfully color the median along many Georgia highways. In some spots, their gorgeous display resembles a beautiful impressionist painting. I am amazed to see how they flourish there in the scorching southern heat, bordered by two expanses of asphalt, absent of any gardener or sprinkler system. If I try to produce the same effect in my own yard, I always come up disappointed.

The wildflower display is the handiwork of the Master Gardener, and it reminds me of His tender and unfathomable care for His children. Our Heavenly Father masterfully tends the garden of our lives. In the fertile soil of our hearts, He plants seeds of love, joy, peace, patience, and faithfulness. The light of His presence sprinkled with a daily dose of His Word creates the perfect environment for a fruitful and abundant life. As the tender sprouts take root, He is there to pull up the weeds of doubt, pride, selfishness…and worry. The more time we spend in His presence, the better the garden of our hearts can flourish and the more fruitful our lives become. The less time we spend with Him, the more cluttered our hearts become with unfruitful weeds, which choke out the blessings He has planted there.

By seeking God ~ above all else ~ we are tapping into the source by whom our most basic needs are met. Entrust the Master Gardener to care for your life. Place your faith in Him, and do not worry. Believe His promises. If you diligently seek God and commit your ways to Him, He will faithfully provide for your needs.

“Delight yourself in the Lord and

He will give you the desires of your heart.”

(Psalm 37:4)


 

Mar22

Blessed Roots

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But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD,
   whose confidence is in him.
He will be like a tree planted by the water
   that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
   its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
   and never fails to bear fruit.

Jeremiah 17:7-8

 

A tree planted by a stream doesn’t have to search far for its life-giving nourishment. Its close proximity to water ensures that it will remain lush and fertile, regardless of extreme heat or periods of extended drought. This well-rooted tree has several distinct characteristics:

  • It will never move away from its life-source.
  • It doesn’t fear extreme conditions.
  • It has no worries in times of drought.
  • It never fails to bear fruit.

 

Just as a tree planted by a stream thrives in any type of condition, our lives will be fruitful and blessed regardless of our circumstances if we keep ourselves firmly rooted in close relationship with our Heavenly life-source. By remaining deeply grounded in our trust and confidence in God, we can flourish no matter what sort of malady life brings. Faith in God eliminates fear and erases worries when we are hit with the extremes of life or when we face extended periods of “drought.”

Being blessed doesn’t mean that we will never see adversity. It simply means that we are internally equipped to handle difficult trials. When the winds of hardship blow, we can sink our roots even deeper into the rich soil of God’s love and soak up the life-giving nourishment of His Holy Word. He is our inner strength and our firm foundation. The blessings which flow from His throne are eternal, but we must choose to plant ourselves next to Him. By placing our trust and confidence in Him, we do not need to fear the “what-ifs” in life, nor do we need to worry about our future. He promises to provide, protect and guide us through any situation.

Blessed are those
   …who delight in the law of the LORD
   and meditate on his law day and night.
They are like a tree planted by streams of water,
   which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
   whatever they do prospers.

Psalm1: 1–4