Life's a Garden......DIG IT!!!

Okay, this whole blog thing started with my new hobby of gardening. So, I am going to use a metaphor to go from gardening to God. God sees our life like a garden. He is the gardener.

I know with my garden, I thought about it a long time. I planned what I was going to plant and the best method to do this. I decided what kind of soil to get. I made sure its location was where it would get adequate sunlight. I wanted my creation to be useful, practical, and absolutely beautiful. I know God did this with my life. He planned who and what I would be. He put lots of thought into it. He decided who my parents should be. He decided where in the world I would be placed. He wanted the best for me and he planned for me to be very useful for His kingdom and beautiful in His eyes.

Also, with my garden, I put a lot of work into it. I put bags of compost, topsoil, and manure into the boxes. I planted seedlings and sowed seeds. I have diligently watered these plants. I check on it constantly to make sure it is thriving. It is right outside my bedroom window so that I can look at it often. God does the same with my life. He makes sure the right friends are around to support and love me. He puts sermons and books in my path so that He can sow seeds of thought into my brain. He is always near to watch over me and make sure that I am thriving.

Now, my garden has lots of pests. I know there are rabbit and deer that love to come take bites out of the beautiful broccoli leaves. There are insects that try to attack my plants. I have seen caterpillars and little flying bugs that sit around my garden, just waiting to feast on my little babies. This is just like sin and bad influence in my life. There are always enemies that will take advantage of you. They will take bites out of you if you let them. There are sin and weakness that are just sitting in the shadows waiting to attack me. The devil is the main culprit. But, he attacks in places like our marriage, finances, relationships, and any place that might eat at the core of who we are or what God intends us to be. God can help us weed out the stuff that is bad for our growth.

So, I diligently take care of my garden so that it will thrive. I water it. I fertilize it. I get rid of dead leaves that are taking away from the healthy plants. I pick bugs off of the plants and get rid of them so they can't harm my tomatoes. I spray them with mineral oil and water them with soapy water to naturally get rid of pests. God gives us all the tools and fertilizer we need in our life. He is always diligently working to help us thrive. He shows us what we need in the Bible and through sermons, bible lessons, and our Christian friends.

After lots of patience and tending, I will be harvesting many veggies and fruits. It was not an overnight process. But, when I taste the harvest, it will all be worth it. Can God say that about your life? Will there be a harvest he can enjoy? If you are allowing the Master Gardener to fertilize and tend to your life, there should be an abundant harvest that everyone around you will enjoy. Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control will the be the fruit from your life.

Gardening is fun, but it can be hard work too. I hope that you work hard at cultivating a life that is pleasing to God. He wants you to have a full, abundant life. Allow Him to sow seeds in your life, fertilize the crop, remove the pests, and cultivate good things. Life's a Garden......DIG IT!!!