God-Grown Grace!

Our vegetable garden has been a daily Labor of Love since May.  I’m beginning to get a better sense of how You must feel as our Gardener, Abba.  Your generous investment in us.  Your joyful anticipation of The Results.

Every aspect of this garden is such a profound metaphor testifying to Your cultivation of our lives.

“Blessed is the one… whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on His law day and night.  That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither — whatever they do prospers.”  (Psalm 1:1a,2-3)

The backbreaking work that went into preparing the soil.  The backbreaking work that went into planting and fertilizing the seeds.  The backbreaking work that went into building the enclosures to protect against Predators.

The watering and the waiting.  The watering and the waiting.  The watering and the waiting.

The sprouts pushing through the surface into the sun.  The dramatic, miraculous growth — changing every day before our eyes.  As if we were watching it all through an extended version of time lapse photography.

The weeding.  The weeding.  The weeding.

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens… a time to plant and a time to uproot…”  (Ecclesiastes 3:1,2b)

The pruning.  Cutting away every part that is failing to thrive.  Making room for every part that is succeeding in overpowering its neighbors.

Long-awaited blossoms bursting forth, followed by FRUIT!  Well, technically, vegetables… but “fruit” nonetheless of our (Your) labor.  The first yellow squash!  The first zucchini!  Numerous pea pods!  Growing larger every day.  The promise of “tomorrow’s” harvest.

How breathtaking it is to see what You have already brought forth from such tiny seeds!  How breathtaking it is to know what is yet to come, as every plant reaches the fullness of its God-given design.  A fullness made possible only through Your Tender Loving Care.

“I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”  (Philippians 1:4b-6)

“And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”  (2 Corinthians 3:18)

Quite a contrast to the myths we so often pride ourselves in saying — that we “pull ourselves up” by our own bootstraps because we are “self-made.”  When, in truth, it’s all about You… isn’t it, Lord?

Just like our vegetable garden:  God-Grown Grace!

Abba’s Girl

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *