I met Jennie through our literary agent. But we bonded over our love of gardening and Jesus. I hope her words stir a new reckoning of God's love for you whenever you gaze upon nature.
In such a beautiful wilderness of wildflowers we are amused with the very variety and novelty of the scene so much that we in our pleasure lose all sense of wariness or fatigue in the length of our wanderings and get to the end before we are aware of our journey. John Clare
When I read John Clare’s words, I cannot help but wonder if this is how Adam and Eve felt at the end of each day as they walked hand-in-hand with God through the Garden of Eden, past the trees laden with fruit, along the path bordered by flowers, a paradise with no weeds, thorns, or thistles. Beautiful. Perfect. Untouched by sin.
It is how I feel when I step into my own garden and witness God’s glory and creativity first hand. Not only that, it is a legacy for everyone who walks this earth. Much like Jesus spoke in parables, God created flowers, trees, and vegetables to show His creativity, depict the plan of salvation and eternal life, and illustrate the love He has for us.
It shows His creativity.
Psalm 139:13-16 says, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb . . . Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.” God created each flower as a unique entity. I am always in awe of the colors I see in a garden from the darkest of purples to delicate pinks. Or the scents that greet me from the musky odor of Bee Balm to the fragrance of a tea rose.
If He would spend the time to create the abundance of plant life we see around us, how much more special are we to Him who sees us even before we are born? Who knows what we’ll do with our lives even before we know ourselves? And loves us in spite of what He knows.
It shows His provision for us.
Matthew 6:29 says, “Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.” Plants do nothing, yet God provided for their needs. He created the sun and the rain to sustain them. He created a way for the plant to stay alive, year after year, one brutal winter after another.
If God would do that for the flowers he designed, how much more will he provide for you and me?
It shows us his plan for eternal life.
John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Every spring I anxiously watch for the tender nubbins of my perennials to pierce through the cold spring ground. The life cycle starting with spring growth, then creating summer flowers and then the subsequent demise in the fall are repeated season after season.
The annual sequence is a reminder of how God has given us eternal life. We were dead in sin, but if we believe in Him, like the plants in spring, we are born again, rejuvenated, full of life. Then when our life on earth is through and death takes us away, we will experience spring growth again, in his presence—to never face death again.
In my garden, I see more than flowers. I see God. I have peace. And like John Clare, my cares, frustrations, and fatigue slip away knowing God made each plant as a reminder of how much He loves me.
Jennie Atkins writes contemporary romance from her home located just outside of Carson City, Nevada. During the day, Jennie manages a team of software engineers. Along with writing, Jennie loves to garden, sew, or go four-wheeling with her husband of almost forty years. Jennie has four children and three grandchildren.
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