Time In The Garden With God

Introduction

In early spring this year my wife and grandson (age 4 1/2) planted a variety of seeds that were saved from last years harvest. Nearly 4 months later we are now enjoying an abundance of tomatoes, green beans, zucchini, yellow squash, and cucumbers. Early each morning my wife peruses our vegetable garden and gathers what has matured since the prior morning.

Watching her this morning triggered a memory of a beautiful reflection she wrote 8 years ago after harvesting green beans which I’ve posted below. May this meditation encourage your own reflections on the gracious provisions God supplies us both physically and spiritually. Amen.

The green bean harvest this morning

Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day.
— Genesis 1:11-13
Then God said, ‘I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.’ And it was so.
— Genesis 1:29-30

Reflection by Susan Ricksen (2017)

I took a break from my morning study and decided to go harvest some green beans. Well if you have ever picked green beans before you know they are hard to pick because they blend in so well with their surroundings. I have to wear my glasses these days as I hunt for them. So I was determined to make one very detailed sweep through the vines and bushes. I mean I really inspected from head to toe-so I thought. I felt a little pleased with my efforts and success because I had quite a handful. So I proceeded to check out my army of sunflowers which line up behind our beans and tomato plants. I am retying some of the stalks to their support poles and while I am doing this my eyes glance up and before my eyes are more green beans dangling like ornaments on a xmas tree. I begin to chuckle to myself because I am excited to have more pickings but all of a sudden this thought came streaming through-“this is how God’s Word is-we read scripture verses-come away with fruit for nourishment-and then if we revisit the same scripture verses-there is more fruit to reap-God is always feeding us and taking us deeper into our knowing Him”.

Green beans growing in front of our sunflowers that have not yet bloomed

I thought of my dad, who since Smokey’s (his 13 year old black retriever) passing, is taking the challenge of getting to find answers to his questions about God, Jesus, etc. I found out he is reading the gospel of Matthew the other day. He shared his difficulty with reading the Bible. So I called my dad this morning to share my garden lesson with him.

Our veggie garden has brought me so much joy. I have been awed and amazed. There are so many lessons to learn if we just make ourselves receptive. I am so grateful that I was in a curious mode when I took an old packet of seeds and old pony pack containers and planted away. I had such a great turnout of seedlings pop up. Then when Larry and I added our compost to the soil-we got mystery seedlings pop up among the other veggies. I think they might be butternut squash and we did get a lot of tomato seedlings along with a few potatoes. With water and care seeds will prosper just like God’s Word. We have to take that precious seed and plant it in our heart where we love it and care for it-and be patient as all farmers know –to watch the plants grow and be fruitful.

So my beloveds-know in this day we are sowers and reapers of God’s Word-be patient in all your seasons-because there are also seasons in the garden-take notice-be still-God is there. He wants us to be fruitful and He does a little pruning now and then to make us grow stronger-because He has a plan and purpose for each and every one of His children-we were created” by love, in love, for love, to love.” How will we respond to this love? I heard someone say that we should “claim it, embody it, and pass it on”.

My prayer this day is that I am able to surrender a little more of myself, to allow the Spirit to fill me a little more, so I can be a vessel from which our God can pour forth His living water into this world to bring new life.

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