Admittedly, this is not the best photo I have ever taken, but I
wanted to give a quick glimpse of the plants for our church community garden! They’re
strong and getting bigger every day.
I’m really excited to see our garden grow and eventually see it
benefit people who need fresh, healthy, delicious produce right in our own
community.
When I think about gardening and harvest, one of the first
Biblical images that comes to mind is that of the fruit of the spirit in
Galatians. I have pasted the passage below so you don’t even have to dig out
your Bible!
Just as we need to prepare the land at our church for a garden, we
must allow the Holy Spirit to work on our hearts, digging it up, turning it
over, and softening it to allow the plants to grow and fruit.
When we don’t allow the Holy Spirit to work through our hearts,
weeds take over (do you recognize any of the “weeds” below in your heart? I
know I have some weeds that need to be pulled in my own.). It’s often difficult
to pull weeds, their roots grow webs under the dirt, strong, powerful and
hidden to us. Some weeds have seeds that seem to be able to grow anywhere they
land. Ridding your land of weeds is painstaking, tedious and you must stay
vigilant or the weeds will be back. One way to prevent weeds from growing is to
have your desired plants taking up space.
I doubt that the church land will feel pain or struggle when we
dig it up and plant it, however, it will be quite a task. Fortunately we have access
to the proper tools to allow us to remove the grass and soften the dirt. We
will lay ground cover to block out new weeds from growing and allow our desired
plants to flourish. We will water and care for the small plants as they grow
deeper roots allowing the plants to grow taller, stronger and eventually,
fruit.
We, too, have tools to prepare and protect our heart garden. The
Bible, prayer, the Holy Spirit, and our church family are just a few of the
tools we have at our fingertips. Often, I forget to use the tools in my shed,
or fail to use them properly or in a timely manner. And it makes sense, I’m a
human with flaws and a pretty black thumb when it comes to matters of the
heart. When we allow the Holy Spirit to take full control of our gardens we
allow a master gardener with a very green thumb to help the fruit of the spirit
flourish in our own hearts.
Galatians 5:17-26
The old sinful nature loves to
do evil, which is just opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants. And the Spirit
gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires. These
two forces are constantly fighting each other, and your choices are never free
from this conflict. But when you are directed by the Holy
Spirit, you are no longer subject to the law. When you follow the desires of
your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results: sexual
immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, participation
in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger,
selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in
your own little group, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other kinds of sin.
Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life
will not inherit the Kingdom of God. But when the
Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us (emphasis
mine): love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,
and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law. Those who belong to
Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his
cross and crucified them there. If we are living now by the Holy Spirit, let us
follow the Holy Spirit's leading in every part of our lives. Let us not become
conceited, or irritate one another, or be jealous of one another.
