Genesis 2 v 8
And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east; and there He put the man whom He had formed
My garden has lots of different plants. Some were here when I moved here a while ago, like the burnished orange crocosmia that bloom every August. Some I brought from the garden in my old house, like the climbing Jasmine cutting I transplanted here. Some I planted new since living here – too many to mention! One thing I have always found is that for a plant to thrive, it needs to be in the place that is best FOR THEM.
When I moved here there were a few fruit trees at the back. One day I was looking around by the trees and discovered a little rose. She was drooping, not flowering, looking very sad. I looked around the garden for a better place, somewhere in full sun that roses love, somewhere with space to grow and stretch out. Somewhere to thrive. I prepared a place, gently moved her, and let her grow. I have lived here for 16 years and she has grown into a stunning standard rose. Taller than me and full of blushing, pink flowers. She needs little support, the occasional prune and feed. Otherwise, she just gets on with growing, supporting a host of bees and bugs and looking glorious.
Sometimes, we are so keen to grow and produce fruit that we don’t think about where we are planting ourselves. We just run around like mad chickens trying to do everything. Maybe doing something that we are not gifted to do. Maybe doing too many ‘somethings’. Sometimes we need to realise we are not best placed. My little rose was in the right garden, but in the wrong place for her.
God formed Adam, prepared a garden for Him and then planted Him there. The key to thriving in God’s garden is to grow where He has planted YOU. This may be in a certain place where you serve, in your job, in your school or college, where you volunteer. Return to the Gardener. Put yourself in His hands. Ask Him where He wants you to be. Ask Him where it is that you will thrive.
Into the heart of things 