I found a sermon in the garden today.
You see, I salvaged the in-laws' geraniums last year. I hate to throw life in the trash can, know what I mean? And besides, I could use the pots they were in.
I rediscovered these geraniums in my basement a week or two ago. They had spent the winter down there, safe from freezing and out of my way. Truth be told, I had completely forgotten about them and only found them because of another issue that drew me to The Abyss.
I had filled my other pots for the summer already, brimming with purchased annuals and renewed houseplants from inside. I had my plan and went with it...
...but I forgot the geraniums.
Once I found them, I pulled the plants out of the pots, removed the remaining soil around them, and piled the pathetic plants under a bush until I decided what to do with them. (I'm lucky my hubby leaves the flowers to me and he didn't throw them out into the compost heap!)
I saw these geraniums last year, in full leaf and full bloom. They were gorgeous, and I witnessed them in all their glory! (And they certainly weren't cheap!)
But now they looked sad. Rejected. Downright ugly, if I'm going to be honest about it. (Sorry to say that about the flowers, but they are out in the garden and can't hear me, so they're ok. ;) )
Yet, through all this ugliness, I still saw potential for life. Hope. Renewal.
You know what I did? I got my trowel out, gathered the plants (sticks, really...), plunged each one deep in the soil of the garden, and watered it.
I fully expect most of these to burst to life and even have some blooms this summer. Why? Because their roots are in the soil and they are getting sunlight and water.
What Soil are You in?
Where are you in your Christian walk today? First and foremost, have you experienced Life? Do you realize that you are a sinner, and that the only way you can go to be with Jesus one day is to turn away from that sin and trust that Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, paid your sin debt completely when he shed His blood and died on the cross? He alone can pay that debt, and He alone has the power over death (He was resurrected--risen from the dead, as we know from Mark 16:6 and other places in Scripture).Jesus tells us in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
In Matthew 13:1-9, Jesus tells the parable of the sower who sowed seed. Some fell in rocky soil, some in weedy soil, some on the wayside where birds ate it, some in shallow soil and some in good ground. All of the seeds except the ones in good ground eventually perished, but the ones on good ground grew well and produced much fruit.
Get yourself in good ground, where the Word of God is taught and preached. Read the Word daily and learn from it and live it. Spend time talking to God and seeking His guidance in your life.
Are You Getting Watered?
Are you experiencing the Living Water flowing through you and into the world around you?
Or have you been away from the Living Water, Jesus, a little too long.....feeling a bit parched? Have you dug yourself a well, only to find it dry? Are the other things you try to quench your thirst with unfulfilling? Is it kind of like that yawn you feel coming on, but for whatever reason, no matter how hard you try, you can't suck in enough air and you're left wanting more...and more...and more...never filled?
Perhaps you know Who and where this Living Water is, and you've refused it, seeking out another thirst quencher.
I urge you--come back to the Source of the Living Water: Jesus. He will fill you up and you will have more than you need. In John 7:38, Jesus said, "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."
Are You Getting Enough Light Exposure?
Have you somehow found yourself in darkness, away from the Light and the Word of God? Have you lost all hope of getting back on the path where you should be? Are you clinging to that one last glimmer, not sure where you will turn next?Again, same theme here: Jesus is the Light of the world, and in Him is no darkness at all. Position your face towards Him, and He will help you.
I've got good news for you, friend! Jesus is waiting to hear from you. Whether you got to where you are intentionally or not, you can still run to Him. He will welcome you back into His arms with rejoicing! Come back! Immerse yourself in the Word of God (the Bible), get "watered", set your face towards Christ. Spend time talking to the Gardener. He will fill you and change you and give you a hope and a future! He will probably even prune you back a little bit to encourage that new growth and more fruit production; but take heart, He knows what He is doing!
Like my geraniums, we all need a time of renewal. We may look hopeless on the outside as most of the world sees us, but on the inside we have potential. Thanks be to God that He can see what we are capable of and He can tend to us and make us beautiful in His time (Ecclesiastes 3:11).
Thanks for reading!
Scriptures referred to in this blog post are linked to Studylight.org, a very useful reference and study tool to use as you search the Scriptures.
