As Winter loses its grip and Spring fills our hearts with
the promise of new life, I am looking forward to getting out and raking away
the dead oak leaves that cover the newly sprouting daffodils and grape
hyacinths around our house. I can’t wait to get down on my knees and trim away
the old wilted brown clumps from my lamb’s ear, revealing the bright green
leaves that lie beneath. I get such a thrill seeing the first buds on the
trees. I love this time of cleaning up and weeding out, allowing room for new
growth.
Today starts the season of Lent for many Christians. Lent can be an opportunity to sort through our spiritual “gardens”. It encourages us to take a spiritual inventory, asking, “Are there things in my life that are hindering my growth as a Christian and need to be weeded out? Are there areas that could be cultivated and improved? Am I open to accepting new ways to serve Jesus?”
We can use this time leading up to Easter to dig a little deeper into God’s Word, to spend more time kneeling our hearts in prayer, and perhaps joining a Bible study or Sunday morning group where Christians help one another in their walk with Jesus. Just as with a little extra care we can watch the bulbs in our gardens send up shoots, grow stronger, and produce flowers, taking more time and investing more effort into our relationship with Jesus will reap a stronger faith.
How is your spiritual garden growing? Does it need a little weeding or a bit of fertilizer? We CAN grow in our understanding of Jesus and our relationship with Him. All God asks is that we draw near (James 4:8). He is the Cultivator, Sustainer, and Master Gardener (John 15:2) of our spirits.
Be encouraged!
