Working the Garden | March 16th

“The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.”

    Genesis 2:15

  Beloved, spring is almost here. Buds at the tips of branches are coming to life with color. What looked brown and lifeless is starting to show new life. Soon, many of us will be outside, clearing away winter’s debris and getting the soil ready for flowers and seeds.

  The Garden of Eden was created by God, yet He placed Adam there to tend and care for it. Eden served as a place of fellowship with God for Adam and Eve, but it also required their active stewardship.

  Our salvation is a gift from God. Through Christ, we have been born again, restored to right relationship with God, and granted eternal life. Just as Adam was placed in Eden, we have been transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the marvelous light of God. Although our citizenship is founded on grace, we must still allow God to work within our hearts.

  As we notice the needs of a yard cluttered with debris and the remnants of winter, we begin the work of tending and restoring it. We desire to witness the beauty of spring and the abundance of summer in our gardens and flower beds. Let us approach the garden of our hearts with the same intention. As the Spirit and scripture reveal the remnants of our sinful nature, let us remove all that is unlovely, relying on the Holy Spirit to cultivate His fruit within us. Remember, beloved, that whatever we do for the Lord is never in vain. Time spent tending the garden of our hearts is never wasted. God will send showers of blessing upon a dry and weary land, filling it with abundant life.

In Christ Alone.

Pastor Wight