Tag Archives: garden

Going Green – Genesis 2:1-15

Posted on by
2

Whenever I read a passage of scripture, I see things in the scripture that I feel I need to learn, or that touches me. The amazing advantage to reading an extra devotional like the Word For Today or Our Daily Bread to complement the reading, is you get to see how other people have understood the messages contained, and they can sometimes offer a perspective I would not have considered. Today’s struck home.

Home? Home can be where we live, the house, or piece of land. It could be as the old saying goes, “where the heat is” (ie out parents house). Wherever we physically live, or refer to as home the fact is the Lord provided the earth for us to live on.

Think of the family who take care

of their gardens at the front and back of their homes, ensuring the plants are watered, the grass is green and the area is clean and free from weeds. The Lord gave us a job to do, similar to the gardener tending the gardens at his home, however our Garden is the planet we live on.

15 The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. (NLT)

We have a responsibility to our creator to tend to the earth, keeping it healthy and glorious. The earth is God’s amazing beautiful creation and for us to neglect it is offensive to God.

I have made half hearted efforts to recycle, and cut down my car journeys, but this morning, I am feeling very challenged to really research the implications of “Going Green” and begin to answer the call of “watching over” the planet, Gods amazing workmanship.

Servant Heart – 1 Corinthians 3:1-10

Posted on by
Reply

6 I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. 7 It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow.

(NLT)

Reading today’s Daily Devotional in Our Daily Bread reminds me of the very many occasions where I have looked to get the credit for a great idea of mine, or for something I have done that has pleased others.  I can even remember how angry I have felt if someone else has taken the credit for my own work!!  Of course I desire the attention for my own means, to build myself up artificially and give myself a confidence and ego boost.  In fact even a couple of years ago, my “ego” was 200 thousand miles above sea level!!!  I nursed it daily, was very loud mouthed about my achievements and would really enjoy received what I perceived as adulation!

Of course the great feeling I would get would only last a few minutes if that.  People soon forgot events, and it no longer mattered.  Over the last year the Lord really has humbled me, sure I still struggle with the desire to “big myself up” and to say “look what I have done”, however the Lord is giving strength to resist and to take a step back!

Our actions should not be to glorify ourselves, but to give glory to the Risen Lord.  It is He who gives us breath, He who gives us life, health, opportunities, so to Him should go the glory!  In this passage in Corinthians, Paul says “who is Paul?”  He is highlighting that he is not important in the grand scheme of things!  After all, Paul may have planted a seed, but it is the Lord that does the watering!  It is God who nurtures and tends to the gardens of our heart and brings forth wonderful and amazing fruit.

All our actions should not be to seek attention, glory, credit, adulation etc, but to advance the Kingdom of God, and to give Him glory.  We may plant, and sometimes dig up the crop, but the Lord does the hard work!  By humbling ourselves and adopting a servant heart to the Lord, wanting only to do His will, others may not notice in this life, but the Lord certainly will, and He has promised us reward in heaven!

10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.

James 4:10 (NLT)