Learning to garden has been a necessity in this lovely green place I live. It isn't, in all honesty, something I particularly enjoy; but, it has certainly been a fertile ground for heart lessons from the Lord.
Living things are complex and growing them... tending them... being a good gardener... is a big and challenging job! I often think of the Lord and His kind hand as I cut, hack, or 'dead-head' any plant or flower. My cutting and trimming and hacking is good for plant... I only do it for it's good. I want it to grow and flourish and produce more fruit. Oh! The lessons for the heart here...
I was reading this morning in Mark 4:30-32. Jesus is making every effort to teach and communicate the beauty of His kingdom to His hearers. In this case, He choses to use gardening. He describes the kingdom of God---the gospel, the 'good, good news', the Spirit Truth---as being like a tiny seed that grows into a hardy and life-giving tree. This is what we are offered in His kingdom. Into our smallness, comes a small 'truth' and then life grows. Abundant growth! We grow. His truth grows in us and makes us (re-creates in us) something hardy and life giving.
I was struck afresh today by verse 32, where the Kingdom-plant is described as: 1) a place of rest for birds and 2) a place of shade. And I had this wonderful thought, "Am I shady?" Prayerfully, I began asking that God would continue to grow His truth in me and make my branches strong to be a place of rest. I long to be a place of comfort and shade... for all who would come near.
Are you shady?
I was listening to a wonderful podcast session by Curt Thompson (MD) recently. (I do highly recommend his books and his teaching.) Dr. Thompson explains that, as a psychiatrist, he ---yes indeed---offers people an 'answer' and help to problems. But, actually, much more importantly, he offers himself. He offers his presence. Those coming to him for comfort and shade are coming to be seen, heard, and known. The greatest gift he can give is to show up, let them sit awhile, rest and be shaded. Presence...the very things we need from each other and ultimately from God.
God does this for His people and always has. In Exodus 3:7, He says is straight out, "I have seen... I have heard... and I am concerned..." One of His names, in fact, is EL ROI... the God who sees.
In 1 Peter 3:12, we are told that "God's eye is on us and that He is attentive to our prayers..." Our God is a loving Father that sees and hears. He is offering Himself to you today.
God is shady. God is hardy. His presence and His truth is a place of rest and comfort.
And, how wonderful is this!? In His kingdom, with Him, we can be shady and comforting and a place of rest for others.
I can be shady and hardy. Oh, Lord, make it so!
~
Mark 4:30-32 Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? 31 It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. 32 Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”