Is gardening Christian?

Put simply...anything that comes before God is not good, whatever hobby it is in life. But at the same time, I really don't think you can say Christians shouldn't do gardening! God also made us stewards to look after the earth. It's when it becomes pride and you block God out as a result of your hobbies when it can pose a problem.

Besides singing, "I Come to the Garden Alone," to The Lord while getting your hands dirty, you can also remember what you're doing there:

Ezekiel 22:30
And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.


I Come To The Garden Alone Hymn


I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses.

Refrain

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.

He speaks, and the sound of His voice,
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing.

Refrain

I’d stay in the garden with Him
Though the night around me be falling,
But He bids me go; through the voice of woe
His voice to me is calling.

Jesus said too much of anything is not a good thing. As long as you don't get addicted to things it's okay. Enjoy them but don't be obsessed.

The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it.

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Gardening is fine and it serves a purpose when pursued properly. It, like anything else, should remain below God in our priorities. However some people actually get closer to God while involved in nature and some even worship the creator while marveling at all that He has made.

Sealacamp

Gardening is a much better activity than watching TV all day for example, and these people are getting good exercise and fresh air, and are growing healthy vegetables rather than the chemical laden products available to buy.
It is a beautiful opportunity to see God's Blessings and thank Him as the plants come up, grow and mature.

starbuck55 said:

Do you think it's okay for Christians to garden? I know people (older ones mostly) who spend hours upon hours on their gardens. I'm worried that this sort of thing is addicting and can lead people astray, and leave them caring more about their yards, then about God.

[bible]Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:[/bible]

God created nature so that it doesn't need us to grow. With the exception of Him telling us to tend and till the Garden of Eden, of course! But it seems boastful to try and create one of our own. And spend sooo much time and money on it. Just a thought...

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Perhaps I'm completely misunderstanding you, but are you saying Christians should buy the genetically modified pesticide sprayed garbage they sell at Wal-Mart?

I am completely flabbergasted by this post, as I feel the complete opposite.
The body is the temple, why poison it with mass produced garbage and fast food when you can eat fresh organic produce the way God intended it? Of course nothing should be more important than God, but God also wants us to work hard, and I often wonder why more Christians don't grow their own food.

I think it's a very healthy hobby, and I wish more people did it.

If I don't look after my garden, it grows lots of weeds! I've just planted two blueberry plants, a raspberry and a gooseberry today, and I am looking forward to having some organic berries that are good for us in due course.

We are very fond of "I Come to the Garden Alone", as in post #3, and hubby is working on it to include when we sing at the Aged Homes.

I think that after the fall, the curse on man included making man work the soil with his own hands for his food. I'm remembering that part right, aren't I? So - in a way - it's not only biblical - it's our destiny to work the ground for our food.

older people who spend hours and hours in a garden do it because it takes hours and hours to do it properly. Working hard is good for you both physically (strengthens your bones) and mentally - and if you work a garden and get plenty of veggies - you can can or freeze them for food over the winter (ever go hunger before? I have...). So working hours and hours to prepare for a possible need come winter - well, that's admirable.

But that's how I see it. I figured all that would be obvious...

Flower Tender said:

I think that after the fall, the curse on man included making man work the soil with his own hands for his food. I'm remembering that part right, aren't I? So - in a way - it's not only biblical - it's our destiny to work the ground for our food.

older people who spend hours and hours in a garden do it because it takes hours and hours to do it properly. Working hard is good for you both physically (strengthens your bones) and mentally - and if you work a garden and get plenty of veggies - you can can or freeze them for food over the winter (ever go hunger before? I have...). So working hours and hours to prepare for a possible need come winter - well, that's admirable.

But that's how I see it. I figured all that would be obvious...

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Well said.

I hope it is, as my future career will revolve around it!

I personally think gardening is a far better way to spend time than many other things we do. Growing living things is pretty amazing. For one thing, it is a hobby that can potentially make you self-sufficient as far as food goes.

Like Judy02 said, though, anything that comes before God isn't okay.

CrumbsofComfort said:

Gardening is a much better activity than watching TV all day for example, and these people are getting good exercise and fresh air, and are growing healthy vegetables rather than the chemical laden products available to buy.
It is a beautiful opportunity to see God's Blessings and thank Him as the plants come up, grow and mature.

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I agree it is better than tv, especially these days. It also tastes and looks beter and improves the quailty of life. Do you talk to God while watching the sewer pipe? You can while gardening.

Anything can become an idol in your life if you let it. We are to put God first in our lives. If someone became obsessed with gardening and spent a lot of money on the latest seeds, plants, fertilizer, pesticide equipment etc. and entered contests, like growing the biggest pumpkin or growing the prettiest roses or exotic species of orchid, or having the prettiest design of flower garden that looks the best, competing with your neighbor's gardens, trying to be in a magazine or book or on TV with your garden, etc. Maybe not all competition is bad, but it encourages more and more time and effort spent on the hobby and less time for God.


I love gardens and nature, Eden was a garden of paradise and Adam and Eve were ordered to tend it. This was a piece of cake before the Fall, after sin came into the world man had to work hard with the earth to grow food from it. In a garden we are closer to God. Gardening is a better hobby than watching TV or surfing the internet. The exercise is good for your health, growing fresh vegetables and fruit to eat is healthy, better than eating chemical sprayed produce from the store. Growing flowers creates something beautiful and fragrant, a treat for the eyes. Gardens with fresh lush blooming green plants make people happy. That is why in cities people take efforts to plant trees in sidewalks and to plants parks and little gardens for people to enjoy; people put potted plants on windowsills and balconies. Some people will turn apartment roofs and balconies into mini hanging gardens with all the potted plants they put there.


While among the beauty of nature we feel closer to God, nature's master artist. Gardens are nature tamed and artistically used by man to create man's own design, since man's imagination and brain are God-given gardens are doubly blessed. God gave people complex brains with plenty of creativity. Believers use their creativity to praise God. Gardening is just one more art form man has used since the dawn of time to praise our creator.

Surely, there are some instances where gardening takes on something of an unchristian correlation, like pridefulness, or obsessiveness, or greed, or toxicity, or illegality...but gardening itself is one of the most basic life supporting labors for human beings to partake in...

When Jesus said take no thought for food and clothing, He was underscoring how much more important it is for us to be mindful of The Kingdom of Heaven, than it is to be thought ridden with material concerns.

It is still possible, in some places to live as a forager/hunter/gatherer - but that in itself wouldn't necessarily free us from anxiety over having enough to wear or eat.

He turns the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into water-springs.
And there he makes the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation;
And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase. <-----> Psalm 107:35-37

Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon;
Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; <-----> Jeremiah 29:4+5

And they shall dwell safely therein, and shall build houses, and plant vineyards; yea, they shall dwell with confidence, when I have executed judgments upon all those that despise them round about them; and they shall know that I am the LORD their God. <-----> Ezekiel 28:26

And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. <-----> Amos 9:14

Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that has need. <-----> Ephesians 4:28

wm

... and it probably depends what you're growing!

Arbo126 said:

... and it probably depends what you're growing!

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And how and why, and even where you're growing it.

wm

My great-grandparents, grandparents on both sides as well as my parents were devoted christian people. If you didn't raise a garden, you didn't eat. If you didn't butcher you had no meat. I too follow that pattern, my garden covers almost a full acre and have gotten many blessings from raising my garden and when the Lord blesses me with more than I need, I give it to neighbors and family.

starbuck55 said:

Do you think it's okay for Christians to garden? I know people (older ones mostly) who spend hours upon hours on their gardens. I'm worried that this sort of thing is addicting and can lead people astray, and leave them caring more about their yards, then about God.

[bible]Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:[/bible]

God created nature so that it doesn't need us to grow. With the exception of Him telling us to tend and till the Garden of Eden, of course! But it seems boastful to try and create one of our own. And spend sooo much time and money on it. Just a thought...

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Um, it seems you're not accustomed with farm life. First of all, hard work never killed anyone. Only in the last century or two have we developed cities and stopped being connected to our food supply. IMO being as close to your food as possible is quite Christianly, since it allows us to better care for the land. IMO if we abuse the land we are being disrespectful to God. Farm work lets you work with God's creation. What could be better than that? JMHO.

If you spend the time in the garden thinking only about the garden then there is something missing. If you spend the time in the garden with God thanking him for the blessings in your life and using it as one on one time with God doing what you enjoy, then I don't think it's wrong Whatever your doing, even if your working you can still talk to God. You don't have to be on your knee's with folded hands for God to hear you

starbuck55 said:

Do you think it's okay for Christians to garden? I know people (older ones mostly) who spend hours upon hours on their gardens. I'm worried that this sort of thing is addicting and can lead people astray, and leave them caring more about their yards, then about God.

[bible]Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:[/bible]

God created nature so that it doesn't need us to grow. With the exception of Him telling us to tend and till the Garden of Eden, of course! But it seems boastful to try and create one of our own. And spend sooo much time and money on it. Just a thought...

Click to expand...

Yes I think it's fine.I wish I wasn't as lazy and spent more time in my garden,less time on the internet or tv.Also when someone gardening,that's plenty of time with God.