Walking Through The Nursery

I stopped by our local nursery yesterday afternoon in order to purchase the beginnings of our patio vegetable garden.  There is something special about a well groomed nursery to me!  When you walk through the rows of fresh, young greens plants the whole atmosphere seems to ooze with the joy of life!  I quickly ambled over to the as yet small selection of vegetables and reveled in the dreams of picking fresh tomatoes and zucchini from my mature vines in our main patio this summer.

One of my favorite things that I enjoyed when I worked in the garden department at the Home Depot in Oklahoma while attending Bible School, was to walk through the outdoor nursery area as soon as I clocked in for the day.  This was especially fulfilling on the relatively few days that I worked the opening shift.  On those days I would be the first one out amongst the plants in the early hours before the store opened, and depending on the time of year, before the sun even arose in the sky!  Maybe it sounds strange to some of you, but there was a unique sense of peace and yet an awe of God that would overtake me as I walked through the rows of greenery and just absorbed their beauty, their life and the quietness that surrounded me.  Maybe that’s the same feeling and sense that Adam and Eve felt as they walked through the Garden of Eden before the fall!

 

I picked up that same sense of serenity this morning as I read from Psalm 42 during my study time in the quiet of the early morning.  You can quickly ascertain that the writer, thought to be David, was going through a tough time in his life.  He begins by crying out to God, describing his longing for His renewed presence in his life.  He tells of his tears, his feelings of being alone, and of the taunts of the people around him as they question his devotion to the Lord.  But through it all David speaks to his inner man saying, “Why are you discouraged, my soul?  Why are you so restless?  Put your hope (or expectations) in God, because I will still praise him.  He is my savior and my God.” (Psalm 42:11 God’s Word ©)

 

Even though his personal world was in chaos at the moment, David still reached out and trusted in the promises of his heavenly Father.  It was as if in the midst of the problems and persecutions, he took a detour to walk through the garden of God so as to receive His serenity and “zoe” life that abounds in His presence!

 

You and I can walk in that same peace, joy and serenity that David spoke of.  We can have that same feelings of the early morning walk through the nursery that I experienced in Oklahoma.  It can be a daily experience that we can only find in our relationship with God.  Isn’t that special!  So I would encourage you to find your special place, your garden and walk with Him in a deeper way today. Have a great day!  Stay in tune to His word and keep asking yourself… “What am I experiencing today?”