As I head to the garden this Memorial Day weekend, I share this beautiful post by Stephanie Bryant. It poetically expresses my own time in the garden.

I feel closer to God, hands in tilled soil, dirt under fingernails, breeze on my face, sun warmth on my back. This is where I came from.

Born in a garden. One word away from dirt. My soul knows, peeking into the past, a glimpse into His character.

I walk by the vines, grapes will appear soon. Parallels to Red Word stories could easily come to mind.

This morning, I keep walking. My mind on my list of need-to’s, have-to’s, hoping to be clear soon.

Thoughts of the Creation Day creep in. Walking in the cool of the day with Him.

What would that be like?

Is it like this day?

Growing. The plants are growing. God’s mercies in the tender leaves and dark mud.

It all started in the garden. God likes to plant and grow things. Squash. Spinach. Me.

His tools look different than mine. As image-bearer, I’m glad to
partake. Focused on weed pulling, a rhythm occurs. Shoulders come down, I
start to breathe for the first time this week.

Thought appears — to share this bounty with neighbors. Spinach is
ready and more than enough for three households. Making a first pass to
clear weeds, I feel proud. Task completed. Harvest time.

I squat, low to the ground. I breathe living air on edible leaves.

Near — the only way to harvest fruit. Cupped in my hands, I pluck a small crop. Gentle.

Prayerful, God be my Soul Gardner.

Then, a large weed, gone unnoticed, camouflaged by the fruit —
appears. My eyes had missed this intruder the first pass. My sight isn’t
always true.

The fruit no longer hid the weed. I pause in awe. My life is the
same. Holy Spirit-produced fruit in me but not perfection yet. Weeding,
pruning, and fruit harvesting — never one without the others.

No more choking out growth, I extract the intruder. Revelation to my mind.

Jesus says, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the Gardener .
. . He prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even
more. You have already been pruned for greater fruitfulness by the
message I have given you. Remain in Me, and I will remain in you . . .
Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For
apart from Me you can do nothing . . . My true disciples produce much
fruit. This brings great glory to My Father.” {John 15:1-8}

God is close, my Soul Gardener, pruning and weeding, especially when I’m producing fruit.

Share on Twitter:

God is close, my Soul Gardener — weeding, pruning, and fruit harvesting — never one without the others. {Tweet this!}

#seedsofscripture #gardening #TrueVine