Lessons from the Garden

Us gardening people always say things like, “I just like getting my hands in the dirt.”

It’s true. I really do enjoy being outside in the soil. Gardening is a form of therapy in many ways, and like many other outdoor practices, it makes me feel more connected to God. 

Many people start gardening for the end product: flowers to put on the table or fresh vegetables from your own backyard. But it’s the practice of sowing and tending that keeps them at it though: it is transformative and miraculous. 

One of the greatest miracles in gardening comes from the tiny little seed you sow in early spring. In those late winter months when our hearts are longing for warmth but frost and cold still accompany us, we get the pleasure of starting our gardens in little seed pots in the window-sills of our homes. Although most of us already know that plants grow from seeds, watching the process in “real-time” is as mind-boggling as the miracle of a little human growing in a woman’s womb. 

You stick the small, hard seed into moist soil in a warm spot, and several days later a green shoot pops out with two little leaves. Then that little sprout grows taller and forms more leaves. Eventually it gets a thick, hardy stem and lots more branches and leaves, and then it forms flowers. Those flowers turn into a fruit or vegetable that is full of nutrients and unique flavors designed for us to eat. All from a tiny seed. 

The Hidden Life of Seeds

This subject has been one intriguing me lately. A friend of mine has been talking about the idea of “seed power” and suggesting that we all have it. As I was thinking on it myself, I came across this passage in Genesis as God is creating the earth, 

“And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food“ (Genesis 1:29).

The seed is very important. God commanded that every living vegetation bore seed when he created it. Every plant that the Lord created that continues to exist to this day is due to its seeds. Hidden within seeds is the life which can recreate again and again and again. 

God’s word is compared to a seed in the Scriptures (Luke 8:14-15). What does this say about us and our relationship with the Lord? Our case is never hopeless. Our loved one’s and coworkers and neighbors and leaders' cases are never hopeless. Through the word of God, life can spring up in our hearts over and over again and renew. Through the word of God, the life of Christ is hidden within us, growing and bearing fruit (1 Corinthians 3:5-8). 

Tending Care

If you’ll observe in the creation story as well, God waited to send rain to the earth to water the seeds until man was there to take care of the vegetation. Seeds have the power to remain dormant for many years until met with rain and warmth (and most of them darkness). Did you know that many seeds survive harsh elements like washing down rivers, being scraped by rocks and chomped on by birds? In fact, God uniquely created some seeds to have hard coats which require these elements to remove the outer layer in order for them to sprout. What does this say about us? When the word of God has taken root in us, it strengthens us and makes us extremely resilient! God knows what we are going to encounter in our lives and can give us the grace that we need to endure each challenge. 

Perhaps you have heard this quote from Christine Caine: “Sometimes when you're in a dark place you think you've been buried, but you've actually been planted.”

We then are like the seed of wheat (John 12:24). Through darkness and hardship, life and fruit come forth by the power of God. Help me meditate on that and let me know what God imparts to you. Isn’t that exciting? I believe we have so much in us lying dormant that can only be opened up through digging around in the soil of our hearts and welcoming a little trial; bounty and vibrance and life! 

Plant a seed this year in a little pot, or in a warm spot in your lawn -- and join me in the spiritual practice of gardening. There’s so much more to be learned.