Anyone who knows me well, knows I love my garden, but I don’t really like gardening. LOL However, today, I sunk my fingers into the wet earth to freshen up my garden from the winter. It was a long spring here in the western Canadian prairies.
As I was digging up the earth, loosening the soil, pulling the weeds, and getting rid of the old debris from the winter, I thought about how our souls are a lot like a garden.
For us to grow, we need to have our souls aerated. We need to have some nutrients added to our souls, we need to be watered well with the word of God, and we need to have the sunlight of Jesus. Sometimes we even need to be pruned back so that we can flourish, bloom, and produce fruit.
Jesus talks about our spiritual lives being like branches on a vine.
“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”
John 15:5 NLT
For a vine to produce fruit, the branches need to remain connected to the vine. From the main trunk of the plant, the vine receives its nutrients and water and eventually produces fruit. Pruning can hurt. Sometimes it’s counterintuitive to cut back branches that look alive, but for the whole plant to thrive, sometimes it’s necessary to cut off the shoots that are going in the wrong direction.
For me to be fruitful spiritually, I need to stay connected to the vine, Jesus, and trust him to provide the nutrients I need in my life to grow.
As I toss the rocks out of my rhubarb patch, pull the weeds from around the hostas, and break up the hard soil around the roses. I am reminded of the Bible verse about the sower and the seed. Jesus spoke about the word of God like a seed being scattered on a path. Some seed falls onto different types of soil or rocks or are eaten by birds. In this way, our hearts are like the soil of my garden, which requires the good soil of the word of God to take root for us to grow spiritually. (Matthew 13)
There is a funny meme on social media that says, “I need to remember to feed myself, get plenty of fluids, and sunlight - I’m basically a houseplant with emotions.”
Funny, but also true. Like a plant or a seed, we need to remember to take care of ourselves physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
I need to be reminded to tend the garden of my soul with care as I stay connected to the vine for nourishment, make sure the soil of my soul is prepared to receive the seeds planted, and remove the weeds that spring up threatening to choke out the growth.
How is your garden growing?
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