A Garden

 Once there was a garden. It started with the deep rich soil, the seeds and the water. 

Buds began to sprout, plants began to grow. There were flowers of all kinds, there were vibrant fruits and cheery vegetables, small thin trees and thick strong oaks. There were neat rows of beautiful plants.  

This garden was not like any other. Much of the garden was healthy and wise, but outside of the garden there were thick ugly weeds and bulky hideous trees. Outside of the garden were patches of fenced up ground and dirt surrounded by sharp barbed wire. 

The garden and outside the garden was the mind of a person. 

The glorious garden was taken care of by a skilled caring Gardener who shared His love for the person by giving beauty and wisdom to the fruits and trees. Outside the garden, the person had shut out the gardener's love and locked out the health within the garden. The Gardener longed to care of all of the plants and trees, but the vile roots had dug so deep that the person could not let go of the locks and chains. 

Are you letting God take care of all of your garden? 

Sometimes I feel that I haven't given my whole garden to God. Parts of my mind are locked up, chained and fenced off. Some of my garden is being cultivated. The more I give over to God, the more will be grown and pruned and trimmed to His image. It's a beautiful picture. The master of our garden shaping and caring for us with His ultimate love. Pouring out His wisdom on our fruits, vegetables, flowers and trees. His roots are digging deep into our mind. He's pulling out the harmful weeds and roots that are holding us to our sinful heart. 

John 15:1-8

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.  Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

    

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

I am reminded of my Gardener every time I plant a seed or water a sprout. 

Knowing that every second I'm here, He's growing me.