Faith Lesson from the Garden

I’ve been busy with a lot of things at the farm that I haven’t done in some time…like vegetable gardening. Tilling, raking, staking, and planting take time. As I’ve worked in the garden I’ve had time to think and pray. The garden has become a place where I’m on my knees – literally and figuratively. It has become a place to seek God and contemplate the mysteries of the universe. I have cried out to Him on behalf of Farm Chick and EJ when the twins were taken to heaven. I’ve asked for wisdom, discernment and mercy there. I’ve interceded on behalf of our family and friends. I’ve sang, praised, and thanked Him for our many blessings.

I have planted a lot of seeds and as I have watered the dirt covering those seeds it occurred to me that planting a garden is a lesson about faith. Most every day this season, I’ve come to water the dirt. I don’t see the seeds that I planted beneath the surface at first. I trust that the seeds will germinate and that eventually I will see something above the surface.

So…I will keep watering the dirt…trusting in what I cannot see…I will celebrate as the work pays off in plants I can see later…I will praise and thank God for the produce that will come. We serve a God with Whom there are no accidents. We never catch Him off-guard. Even something as simple as a vegetable garden serves to teach us about the Creator of all things. Thanks, God! That is good stuff.

We will celebrate Easter this coming Sunday – the ultimate faith lesson. As Christ suffered and died on the cross for the redemption of mankind, I can only imagine what His followers were thinking in their human minds…such sorrow, total confusion…and yet, three days after He was laid in the tomb, HE AROSE!! What a celebration that must have been! The knowledge that Christ came to redeem us, that He died and was resurrected spurred the disciples to share the good news – sometimes even to their deaths – so that we could know the glory – so that we can share in that resurrection and spend eternity with Christ. Praise God! He is risen!!

Hebrews 11:1-3 says, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.”