In the Garden
.
Dec.30,2013
http://getmorestrength.org/
“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31
wife, Martie, and I had the privilege of traveling to
England. While we were there, we visited Hampton Court—the home of King
Henry VIII. The first thing we noticed was the beautiful gardens. As an
amateur gardener myself, I marveled at the lush green lawns and the
perfectly manicured trees, shrubs, and the vibrancy of the flowers.
Standing in the middle of all that, I couldn’t help but think back
several hundred years to the gardener who designed and maintained this
immaculate spread of beauty for the honor of the king. Under the
authority of King Henry, he managed the garden for one purpose—to bring
pleasure to the king and to create beauty that would bring the king
honor and glory in the eyes of every guest who was entertained at
Hampton Court.
Connect the dots. The gardener for King Henry and the follower of
Christ have something in common—except for the fact that our King is the
King of kings! We have been chosen to manage the “gardens” of our lives
in ways that bring pleasure and glory to our King, Jesus. I can’t help
but think of the shame and displeasure it would have brought to King
Henry if his gardener had slacked off, leaving the gardens weed-infested
and overgrown when the king entertained important guests at Hampton
Court. He wouldn’t have been gardener for long if that had been the
case. How much more important it is for us to keep our lives free of the
stuff that brings shame and damage to the reputation of Jesus. As
gardeners of God’s garden in our lives, how important it is for us to be
constantly vigilant to keep the weeds out and to prune the creepy
things so they don’t take over and spoil the beauty. We all know what
the weeds and creepy things are in our lives. So the issue is not
ignorance on what to pull out and cut back, but rather diligence in
taking the necessary steps to eliminate the damaging elements and to
enhance the good and beautiful things so that we keep our lives looking
good for the King!
And speaking of gardening, if you are looking for a good garden
manual that delineates what to keep out and what should flourish, then
Paul’s words to the Galatian Christians is a great place to start. In Galatians 5:16-24,
he states that the weeds of the flesh are things like sexual
immorality, idolatry, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, envy, and
drunkenness! By contrast, he goes on to say that the fruit—or in this
case the beautiful flowers—of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
People pass by the garden of your life every day—all kinds of
people—so take a good look at your garden. Is it a source of shame or of
glory to your King?
Keep the weeds pulled, prune the creepy things, and let the garden of your life grow to His glory.
YOUR JOURNEY…
- Write down a list of the major weeds and creepy things that you have permitted to go unchecked in the garden of your life. Make a plan to weed them out and to replace them with actions and attitudes that reflect the beauty and glory of your King.
- Share your new gardening plan with a friend who will inspect your garden now and then to see how you are doing.
- The Hampton Court Gardens have lasted for centuries. What would you like your children and grandchildren to remember about the garden of your life long after you are gone? What should you pull out to guarantee a positive legacy for Christ?
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