Looking Out At The Patio

I went out one day this last weekend and spent a little time cleaning up the various potted plants that we have around our patio.  After the rain last week they all looked slightly bedraggled and were crying out for some love and tenderness!  So I enjoyed myself by clipping off the spent flowers from our geraniums and chrysanthemums and other plants, cleaned out any dead growth and then swept around the deck.  This morning as I walked out onto the patio area, I was pleasantly surprised at how healthy everything looked in the bright morning sunlight.  Once again the plants looked happy!  They seemed to be greener than ever and I could almost attest to the fact that they had filled in all the areas that I had trimmed with a fresh new bouquet of gorgeous red, pink, purple and yellow blooms!

It is kind of the same way that I felt after experiencing a dynamic church service yesterday.  The praise and worship sent me directly to the throne room of God and the Word that was preached was not only powerful but also practical for what I needed to receive into my life at this time.  Afterwards, I felt like I had also received some love and tenderness!

I think that God enjoys walking through the well-tended and green gardens of our lives.  After all, God made us in His image and since the first job that He gave to man was to tend His garden, I would think that He also enjoys spending time in the garden!  Genesis 3:8 tells of "the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden (of Eden) in the cool of the day." CEV)

Then in Isaiah 58:11 God likens us to a watered and maintained, healthy looking garden.  How do we maintain the garden of our lives?  Well, that’s simple.  We do it by following His teaching and by walking in love and faithfulness.  Proverbs 3:4 states that when we do this we will “find favor and good success in the sight of God and man.” (God’s Word ©)

So I would encourage you this week to put in some time cultivating the garden of your lives by spending time in His presence.  Meet Him at church, spend time alone with Him in His Word, and then set up a time to fellowship with Him through other Christian friends!  Then when our heavenly Father looks out His kitchen window, He will enjoy the view of you, His well-tended garden.  Have a good week.  Stay in tune to His Word, and keep asking yourself… “What am I expecting today?”