God Made Us to be Gardeners

There are several things I like to do when I have time to spare. They rotate in and out of my current preferred hobby spot as time passes. However, gardening is one thing I like to do that does not rotate. Even when it is not my favorite thing to do, it is something I always do. Whether it is working with the flower beds, trees, or my vegetable patch, there is almost always some kind of gardening to be done all year, and I love it. It never fails to astound me that I can bury a dry seed in the ground, water it, weed the patch, and before my eyes a plant will sprout, grow, and bear fruit—a beautiful flower to look at and smell, or a delicious bit of food. Gardening makes me feel an appreciation for the land—for the awesome creative power of our God. God is not ignorant of the wonders of his handiwork. His word abounds with references to the natural world. God’s love of gardens and gardeners is manifest in one of the opening passages of the Bible: “And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil… The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it” (Genesis 2:8-15 ESV). The first work any man had to do was gardening, and it was good work. Interestingly, God has described his work in our lives and our spiritual work for him in gardener’s terms many times. Bringing us to spiritual maturity is compared to pruning vines (John 15:2) and sowing seed (Matt 13:3ff). The faithful are called God’s harvest (Matt 9:37ff, 13:39). Jesus describes us with comparable terms in several parables. Paul explained the ministry by referencing a farmer (2 Tim 2:6). James did too (5:7). Paul wrote: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field…” (1 Cor 3:6-9 ESV). As a gardener, I love my plants. I protect them from weeds and insects, feed them and water them, and prune them. I want to see them grow to the height of their potential for beauty, or to bear much fruit. God wants the same thing for you and me. He wants it for everyone. He wants us to want it for everyone too. Is it any wonder that gardening is such a common theme in his word?