Are you growing a vegetable garden right now, or maybe a flower garden? Me too! I find gardening so satisfying. There’s something wonderful about digging in the dirt, watching plants grow, trimming them into pleasing shapes, cleaning out the weeds, and seeing the good results of a fertilized and well-watered garden. I love studying what different plants need and providing the optimal soil or light that they need.

Linda’s flowers often grace MAF headquarters with their beauty and fragrance. Photo by Linda Whiting.

As I stroll through the garden in our backyard most evenings, the tranquility and beauty of it draws my heart toward God. Where do you feel closest to God? It’s interesting to me that God created Adam in the wilderness, but He created Eve in the Garden of Eden. Maybe that’s why I long to be in the garden and my husband is drawn to mountain ruggedness.

I am intrigued with the biblical concept that God is our Gardener. He amends our heart soil with His Word; He prunes away the unnecessary; He weeds out our unrighteousness, as we allow Him; He feeds our souls with lovingkindness and Truth. When we take time to linger with Him, He speaks life into our wilted souls and strengthens us.

Today, my cubicle neighbor shared the following with me, knowing my love of gardens:

In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life.” —James 1:21b (MSG)

Isn’t that a great verse?! Think of it. Our lives, as we humbly yield them to Him, are being transformed into salvation-gardens, beautifully landscaped into places of intimate fellowship with our loving Gardener.

An overhead shot looking down on Linda’s lovely garden. Photo by Linda Whiting.