First Sunday of Lent

In the beginning....The Bible tells us that life began in a garden. In today's world with all the bickering about the nature of God's creating we often miss the beautiful and rich symbolism of the creation story. I believe God intended and still does for our world to be like a beautiful garden. God has provided everything that is needed for the human population to be nourished in body and spirit. We have been given wisdom, wealth and much more to develop ways for this to happen even today.

But like it is told Adam and Eve disobeyed God's instructions to them and out of greed ate from the forbidden tree. How well does this still play out in human greed today and disobedience to God's love. How often do we convince ourselves this won't really matter in the life of things. 

Working in my garden at home this kind of thinking produces much less crop in the end. Oh, I don't need to water today or weed or feed. The truth is I need to keep up daily with the work that needs to be done. Vacations, while they are wonderful and needed  is most disastrous for the plants, yet with hard work and prayer they can be healed. This is no different in our life with God. If we spend time everyday feeding, watering and weeding our lives before God we too remain much more healthy than we would be otherwise. Yet we know too many neglect this obedient care.  Many reading this may be on vacation and that is okay because God is still  ready to renew and replenish the health of the soul missing.

​I believe God's garden was to be a place for all people to be. Where each plant was cared for and loved, fed and nourished daily. I believe our Father is calling us this Lenten season to look carefully at our own gardens. Are we loving each other as commanded? Are we sharing as Jesus shared? Are we committed to regaining the beauty and the peace in the garden as God intended? I believe It is going to require a great willingness to share our bounties. To ask God to become the focal point of our lives trusting and relying on the nourishment He alone can provide. Join with me this Lenten season and let us work side by side, digging up the old soil, cultivating the new and being part of the beauty God intended from the beginning. Hope to see you this morning as we gather at the Table to partake of the bountiful harvest of God's grace. 

Almighty God as I reflect upon the gardens of life may you walk with me. Lord, it is many times in the garden that I come and hear your voice in this loud world. May this journey of Lent bring me back to your garden of love and hope and reveal to me where I am the weed. Help me Father, to see my short comings and how through Your grace and tenderness I am not simply pulled and discarded but nourished to be more productive and more like Christ.  Father, I ask for the strength to let go of what is Yours and freely give to others as You have called me to do. Help me examine the life you have blessed me with and know that I belong to You as do the ones I love and want to protect. Lord God, forgive me for doing as Adam did; disobedient to Your Word. Restore me to Your garden so I can be useful and fully engaged in this world today. Lord, I pray this in Your Son's Holy name. Amen