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"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control." Galatians 5:22-23a (NKJV)
It's easy to drive down a street and admire beautiful landscaping or to visit a park and enjoy the plantings there. Those beautiful scenes don't come about by accident. A great deal of planning goes into making a lovely garden.
First, what is the goal of the garden? Does the gardener wish to have a formal English-type garden or a casual country look? Will the focus be to showcase a single type of flower (as in a rose garden) or the harmony of many types of flowers together? Is the purpose to attract hummingbirds or butterflies? To make use of a problem spot of land?
Second, how long is the growing season? Will a single sowing or planting be all that's needed or does the gardener plan on a sequential progression of plants to cover the changing conditions of a long season? Will the desired plants have enough time to come to full flower?
Third, what are the soil conditions? Different flowers like different soils. Sandy soil may been just what one plant needs to thrive, while another will wither away in the same plot. Clay, loam, rocky - all of these conditions have a bearing on which plants will do best. Each condition also affects the nutrients that the gardener must add to get the most from the garden.
What are the light conditions? An exposed spot that gets sun all for many hours a day favors a different kind of plant than a spot that stays in shade most of the time. Surrounding trees and structures have an impact on the amount of light that plantings will get, and must be taken into consideration by the careful gardener.
What threats are there? Are insects a problem? Do rabbits or other rodents pose a problem? Do larger mammals come to graze? Which plants can best stand up to the hazards?
In many ways our spiritual life is a garden as well. It has requirements that must be met if we are to bloom into the full potential of our Christian life. The goal of your spiritual garden, while truly a matter between you and the Lord, will vary at times in your walk. At first, the goal may be to grow in knowledge of God's Word. Then it may progress to a desire to learn to serve more effectively. It may be to become a stronger witness, a better teacher of the Word, a better spouse, sibling, parent or employee. Each of these goals will take your gardening in different directions.
How long is your growing season? That's a tough one, yet an easy one. Obviously, if your goal is to become a missionary overseas, that may take a longer season than becoming a strong witness locally. The beauty of your spiritual garden is that the One who gave you the goal also controls the season, and you can rest in the knowledge that it will be accomplished in His due time.
As for soil conditions, look to your heart. In Matthew 13, Jesus addressed this very issue. Are you stony ground, full of thorns, or good soil, ready to receive the Word? If you feel as though you need to take a spiritual tiller to your heart, find a strong Bible-believing church and get in there. Ask for prayer from fellow Christians. And above all, seek Him yourself in prayer and Bible study.
Like the garden soil, our Christian garden requires the addition of nutrients and fertilizer as well. That feeding comes in many ways: prayer, Bible study, giving praise, gathering with other Christians in corporate worship, spending time with other Christians in casual settings, listening to spiritual teaching tapes and music. Each of these (and many other resources) help to enrich the soil and encourage us reaching our full potential.
For light, turn to God's Word. Daily Bible study brings spiritual light into our day and helps to dispel storm clouds that may arise. Remember, there is no circumstance in your life today that cannot be addressed with application of Gods Word and prayer. Truth is still Truth!
Water is the Living Water that Jesus brings (see John 4). We can seek worldly beverages and thirst again soon. If we drink from the Living Water, we will never thirst again. We find that Water in the Word, in prayer and in daily communion with Jesus. Daily communion as in talking with a dear friend, sharing good news as well as bad, praise as well as complaints and then listening for the response - dont monopolize the conversation. Jesus has the answer, but He won't interrupt you to give it!
What can you expect if you do all of this careful spiritual gardening? A bumper crop of the fruit of the Spirit as described in Galatians 5. Is the garden worth the work? You bet! And this garden gives the term "perennial" a whole new meaning!
Good Gardening!
Mary Beth Magee
It's easy to drive down a street and admire beautiful landscaping or to visit a park and enjoy the plantings there. Those beautiful scenes don't come about by accident. A great deal of planning goes into making a lovely garden.
First, what is the goal of the garden? Does the gardener wish to have a formal English-type garden or a casual country look? Will the focus be to showcase a single type of flower (as in a rose garden) or the harmony of many types of flowers together? Is the purpose to attract hummingbirds or butterflies? To make use of a problem spot of land?
Second, how long is the growing season? Will a single sowing or planting be all that's needed or does the gardener plan on a sequential progression of plants to cover the changing conditions of a long season? Will the desired plants have enough time to come to full flower?
Third, what are the soil conditions? Different flowers like different soils. Sandy soil may been just what one plant needs to thrive, while another will wither away in the same plot. Clay, loam, rocky - all of these conditions have a bearing on which plants will do best. Each condition also affects the nutrients that the gardener must add to get the most from the garden.
What are the light conditions? An exposed spot that gets sun all for many hours a day favors a different kind of plant than a spot that stays in shade most of the time. Surrounding trees and structures have an impact on the amount of light that plantings will get, and must be taken into consideration by the careful gardener.
What threats are there? Are insects a problem? Do rabbits or other rodents pose a problem? Do larger mammals come to graze? Which plants can best stand up to the hazards?
In many ways our spiritual life is a garden as well. It has requirements that must be met if we are to bloom into the full potential of our Christian life. The goal of your spiritual garden, while truly a matter between you and the Lord, will vary at times in your walk. At first, the goal may be to grow in knowledge of God's Word. Then it may progress to a desire to learn to serve more effectively. It may be to become a stronger witness, a better teacher of the Word, a better spouse, sibling, parent or employee. Each of these goals will take your gardening in different directions.
How long is your growing season? That's a tough one, yet an easy one. Obviously, if your goal is to become a missionary overseas, that may take a longer season than becoming a strong witness locally. The beauty of your spiritual garden is that the One who gave you the goal also controls the season, and you can rest in the knowledge that it will be accomplished in His due time.
As for soil conditions, look to your heart. In Matthew 13, Jesus addressed this very issue. Are you stony ground, full of thorns, or good soil, ready to receive the Word? If you feel as though you need to take a spiritual tiller to your heart, find a strong Bible-believing church and get in there. Ask for prayer from fellow Christians. And above all, seek Him yourself in prayer and Bible study.
Like the garden soil, our Christian garden requires the addition of nutrients and fertilizer as well. That feeding comes in many ways: prayer, Bible study, giving praise, gathering with other Christians in corporate worship, spending time with other Christians in casual settings, listening to spiritual teaching tapes and music. Each of these (and many other resources) help to enrich the soil and encourage us reaching our full potential.
For light, turn to God's Word. Daily Bible study brings spiritual light into our day and helps to dispel storm clouds that may arise. Remember, there is no circumstance in your life today that cannot be addressed with application of Gods Word and prayer. Truth is still Truth!
Water is the Living Water that Jesus brings (see John 4). We can seek worldly beverages and thirst again soon. If we drink from the Living Water, we will never thirst again. We find that Water in the Word, in prayer and in daily communion with Jesus. Daily communion as in talking with a dear friend, sharing good news as well as bad, praise as well as complaints and then listening for the response - dont monopolize the conversation. Jesus has the answer, but He won't interrupt you to give it!
What can you expect if you do all of this careful spiritual gardening? A bumper crop of the fruit of the Spirit as described in Galatians 5. Is the garden worth the work? You bet! And this garden gives the term "perennial" a whole new meaning!
Good Gardening!
Mary Beth Magee
