When Dave and I downsized to our tiny home we embraced the adventure. It has been wonderful to be less encumbered with a house and property that needed maintenance and upkeep.
Cleaning that used to consume hours each week has been condensed to minutes. But there is one thing I miss – my garden!
Around this time of year, I would already be out staking up the tomatoes and the pepper plants. The bulbs in my flowerpots had already come to full bloom. Dead heading geraniums and petunias was a special type of quiet time – just me and the Lord.
Imagine my delight when I read these verses this morning.
“Whenever people are jealous or selfish, they cause trouble and do all sorts of cruel things. 17 But the wisdom that comes from above leads us to be pure, friendly, gentle, sensible, kind, helpful, genuine, and sincere. 18 When peacemakers plant seeds of peace, they will harvest justice.” James 3:16-18 CEV
Ahh, seeds of peace. I don’t need potting soil for those. Just a tender heart toward God.
“Again Jesus said: God’s kingdom is like what happens when a farmer scatters seed in a field. 27 The farmer sleeps at night and is up and around during the day. Yet the seeds keep sprouting and growing, and he doesn’t understand how. 28 It is the ground that makes the seeds sprout and grow into plants that produce grain. 29 Then when harvest season comes and the grain is ripe, the farmer cuts it with a sickle.
30 Finally, Jesus said: What is God’s kingdom like? What story can I use to explain it? 31 It is like what happens when a mustard seed is planted in the ground. It is the smallest seed in all the world. 32 But once it is planted, it grows larger than any garden plant. It even puts out branches that are big enough for birds to nest in its shade.” Mark 4:26-32 CEV
Right before these two examples Jesus told the people that a man went out and sowed some seeds, but the seeds were the word of God. Yesterday’s blog was about a seed of faith, today’s is about a seed of peace.
Putting God’s word into our hearts each day is like planting a garden. We need to keep it watered and pull out the weeds of bitterness, unbelief, worry and distraction. When we do we will gather a bountiful harvest.
“But they start worrying about the needs of this life. They are fooled by the desire to get rich and to have all kinds of other things. So the message gets choked out, and they never produce anything. 20 The seeds that fell on good ground are the people who hear and welcome the message. They produce 30 or 60 or even 100 times as much as was planted.” Mark 4:19-20 CEV
One of the keys to a good garden is good soil. Each day I pray that my heart is prepared to hear and plant God’s word.
I do miss my garden but I have come to realize that my heart is the garden God wants me to tend!
