This garden needs tending

We planted a garden before summer began. Before I knew it there were bright red plump tomatoes hanging on the vines, long yellow squash gently lying in the dirt as they grew to maturity, hot red peppers sticking out, just begging to be put to use in homemade salsa and green zucchini that seemed to double in size overnight. In addition to these veggies there were oregano, basil and chives that filled in the planting area.

When the garden was planted it seemed like there would be plenty of room, but as the plants grew and grew not only did I have more tomatoes than I could figure out what to do with, but also the vines of the zucchini and squash plants began to intertwine and co-mingle. I didn’t know this was possible. They were in a sense mating! :) We had some interesting looking vegetables this year.

In the beginning of the season both my husband and I would go out to the garden and pull weeds that were close to the vegetables and we would give them additional water in the afternoon. This tender caring continued for quite a long time this summer. That is until we went to Kenya. During the 3 weeks that we were gone the garden wasn’t given as much attention and when we came home there were weeds growing in and through the tomatoes, zucchini and squash. Even though the garden was not as taken care of, the produce is still coming and so are the weeds. Now the zucchini vines have spread across the beach and are looking for new territory. It seems that now I check for the produce, when I feel like it and occasionally I may pull a weed. The truth is that I got out of the habit of tending the garden and now it seems like too large of a task to begin.


This happens to me spiritually as well.


When I get out of sync with Jesus, sometimes I do absolutely nothing!
Just like with the garden I tend to my relationship with Christ, a little here a little there. Sometimes I do nothing because it seems like such an insurmountable task.

I feel frozen,
                  unable to do what it takes to get going.

This usually means that I have to come to Him and apologize for failing again.

Here is the truth of the matter.

No matter how often I go back to the master Gardener (Jesus) He welcomes me home and says. "let’s do this together".

Now, I am not saying that some pruning doesn’t happen and occasionally it may hurt, but I need someone to help me pull the weeds and set my life back into the order that it was meant to be. I cannot do it by myself! Believe me I have tried and tried. I usually succeed for a while but then I realize that I wasn’t meant to live this life alone. I end up back in the arms of Jesus.

I am the true vine, and My Father is the vine dresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away;and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. John 15

 

How about you?

What in your life have you been trying to do alone? Why not ask for the help the He alone can give?


Are there weeds that have crept up and have taken residence in your life?

I know an awesome gardener that wants to take care of them.

Father, Take this mess of a garden and make it beautiful again.  Restore order and fruitfulness.  Make my life what you intended it to be.  Thank you for giving me grace even though I don't deserve it.  I love you.   jann