Joy in God's Garden
"But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green and they never stop producing fruit." Jeremiah 17:7-9
I've written this before, but one of my favorite books is called, The Basket of Flowers by Christoph Von Schmid. What I love most about this book is how it beautifully relates the principles of God's Word to the tending of an earthly garden--just as illustrated in this passage.
Examples of God's garden principles are everywhere around us. One such example is a beautiful orange tree in my neighborhood just around the corner. I see it each and every day as I drive into and out of the neighborhood. The tree seems to be constantly overloaded with oranges--spring, summer, fall, and winter. It never stops bearing fruit. It is the jewel of the neighborhood and feeds many.
On one occasion that my parents happened to be at my home, they commented on the tree, saying, "You have an orange tree that is just loaded with oranges, and it isn't even in season! Perhaps it has been fooled by the warm weather."
Or, perhaps not. This tree looked perfect even after hurricane Ike when the fence in front of it had been completely blown apart. Amazing? Or, part of God's plan?
I'd say it's a living example of God's plan for us. This orange tree's roots go deep. It's not bothered by heat, long months of drought, or even the hurricane.
Are you like that orange tree? The Bible tells us that if our hope, trust and confidence are in God, we can be like that orange tree. We won't be bothered by the heated times of life, or by long months of mental, emotional, physical, or financial drought. Our leaves will stay green and we will never stop producing fruit.
My prayer for you this week is that you will put your hope, trust and confidence completely in Christ, and that you will never stop producing good fruit. And, may you have the best week you've ever had in your life.
I've written this before, but one of my favorite books is called, The Basket of Flowers by Christoph Von Schmid. What I love most about this book is how it beautifully relates the principles of God's Word to the tending of an earthly garden--just as illustrated in this passage.
Examples of God's garden principles are everywhere around us. One such example is a beautiful orange tree in my neighborhood just around the corner. I see it each and every day as I drive into and out of the neighborhood. The tree seems to be constantly overloaded with oranges--spring, summer, fall, and winter. It never stops bearing fruit. It is the jewel of the neighborhood and feeds many.
On one occasion that my parents happened to be at my home, they commented on the tree, saying, "You have an orange tree that is just loaded with oranges, and it isn't even in season! Perhaps it has been fooled by the warm weather."
Or, perhaps not. This tree looked perfect even after hurricane Ike when the fence in front of it had been completely blown apart. Amazing? Or, part of God's plan?
I'd say it's a living example of God's plan for us. This orange tree's roots go deep. It's not bothered by heat, long months of drought, or even the hurricane.
Are you like that orange tree? The Bible tells us that if our hope, trust and confidence are in God, we can be like that orange tree. We won't be bothered by the heated times of life, or by long months of mental, emotional, physical, or financial drought. Our leaves will stay green and we will never stop producing fruit.
My prayer for you this week is that you will put your hope, trust and confidence completely in Christ, and that you will never stop producing good fruit. And, may you have the best week you've ever had in your life.
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