Spring is here…..I think. End of last week, we had our first 70-degree high temperature of the year – and two days later, a high in the twenties and snow. Well, if Spring’s not totally here, it will be soon. Time to start yard work and planting schedules. At our place we have two flower gardens, a vegetable garden, and this year we’re adding a pollinator garden. Jodel and I walked the yard this weekend naming all the plans we have for this coming growing season – and all the work that will need doing to get them done. (Kinda a “double-edged sword” kind of thing).
I do very much enjoy working in the garden and doing lawn work – but that list does seem a bit daunting. I’m renewed and fed spiritually when I’m out in the lawn or gardens, but there is work involved – and pretty much continually throughout the season. (But thank goodness not constantly). But that’s what it means to “tend to your garden and lawn”. I find it very applicable to one’s journey in faith and more specifically, discipleship – following Jesus or living out “the ways of Christ”.
With the snow finally gone, it’s time to pick-up sticks; walking the yard collecting and removing all the sticks (and some larger branches) that have been blown down during Winter: kind of “De-cluttering” the lawn. Same with the gardens. Sticks don’t only fall in the yard, and it seems some of the leaves that were raked up in the fall have found their way into the garden beds and now the beds need to be raked out.
Our lives need to be “De-cluttered” or need raking out. It’s a natural thing that sticks fall and leaves collect. It’s also a natural thing for our lives to get cluttered – by too much busyness, or littered from the consequences of our brokenness, poor choices, or destructive behaviors and actions. It’s just part of the human experience. But we can experience new growth and abundance! We are called to tend to our lives so that the lawn and growing beds of our lives are free to grow; catching the full sun of God’s grace and raked free to receive the rains of God’s goodness and faithfulness.
The good news is God is with us! The Holy Spirit fills us with the power of the Living Christ! In fact, it is the Holy Spirit who does the Uncluttering and rakes free our lives. We need to allow the process! We are directed to move in new directions and reorient ourselves to the rays of God’s grace and activity in our lives. That’s our part, the activity the Lord requires of us to make this happen. In fact, in scripture, it names what our response to God’s grace should looked like: To do Justice, to Love Kindness and Walk humbly with God.
These activities of discipleship, these responses to God’s gracious activity on our lives builds our relationship with the Lord. The lawn of or lives grows greener and the “grass” which is what makes up the lawn grows thicker and more lush. The beds, where we plant the fruits of our discipleship are now free to blossom and bloom displaying the evidence of God’s Spirit in our lives. We begin to display the myriads of colors that show and express the presence and activity of God and God’s Spirit in our lives!
May God be with you and us all as a faith family, in this season of growth and possibility as followers of Jesus and disciples of Christ!
Be God’s, Pastor Jim
