It is like a tiny mustard seed that a man planted in a garden; it grows and becomes a tree, and the birds make nests in its branches.
Luke 13:19 NLT
When we visit our local garden centre, our favourite spot is the table with what we call the “orphan plants”. These are heavily discounted since they are not in prime condition and no one appears to want them. We, however, love them. We load up, save a fortune, and the majority of these beauties perform out of their skin for our enjoyment. It’s as if they are so grateful to have been given a home in our flowerbeds that they strive with all their might to bring maximum enjoyment to our lives. Some of these plants are just so small when we pick them up. I can think of a Spanish daisy in particular that flowered and spread to fill a newly dug bed in front of our Heath Robinson greenhouse. When we wanted to move it, in order to construct the greenhouse and protect it from damage, I noticed a tiny remnant had been left behind after transfer. Well, this remnant is now a large plant all of its own, so giving back 100-fold from our original investment.
While these plants offered no nesting sites, they did provide plenty of food for the birds and endless nectar for bees, whose constant humming provides the soundtrack for our worship as we garden. In fact, the garden is alive with a paean of praise arising from God’s creatures. What else can we do but join in!
There is a great principle here. No matter how broken or rejected, in the right soil such woundedness can be overcome and in time, what was overlooked becomes a plant that draws the eye. This is true of our lives when surrendered to God and rooted in the soil of God’s love and acceptance. What’s more, all of us can recover and grow into the person God designed us to be, with God the master gardener ensuring we flourish in full.
QUESTION
What environment helps you draw closer to God? For me, it is my garden; what about you?
PRAYER
May I thrive, flourish and give my best to you as your Spirit wraps up my wounds and gives me fresh strength.
Photograph – view from doorway of Hillsborough Parish Church
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