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The Garden of Our Hearts
by
Kay Montgomery
While planting some annuals this morning, I was struck by how our lives are like a garden. I had cleaned out the area for my begonias about ten days ago, but when I went to put in my flowers, small little weeds were covering the ground. I was not really surprised, as it had been several days. As I cleared out the weeds and planted my flowers, I thought about how those weeds and flowers are just like our hearts in these ways:
- The soil of the garden and of our hearts will not stay bare. If we don’t plant something positive and beautiful, the seed of the world and of the enemy will sprout. God’s word is the seed to plant in our hearts and to nurture until the fullness of the promise is in radiant, glorious bloom
- We have to clear away the weeds, or the world’s way, to make room for the flowers. We live in and are surrounded by the world and it’s way of thinking. God’s ways are not the world’s ways, the two are totally opposite. We must turn from the world and its understanding if we want to walk in God’s promise and destiny for our lives.
- Even after the flowers are planted, weeds will spring up and, if left unchecked, will grow large and strong and take over the space we had planted in flowers. Weeding the garden is not a one time deal, and neither is rejecting the world’s methods and ways from our thinking. We must stay alert and be willing to pull up every weed the first time it appears. Our thinking patterns must change from the world’s way to God’s; that takes time and persistence.
- Weeds are easier to pull up when they are small. They can be pulled up later, but it is more difficult, takes more dirt with them, and disturbs the roots of other plants. Weeds survive because they are hardy, if we leave them too long, it can be impossible to get them out without damaging the plants you want to keep. It is the same in our lives, worldly thinking that we don’t want to deal with can take hold of us until it is impossible to get rid of it easily and without help. We can become enslaved by thoughts and fears that have a stronghold in our minds. God can deliver, but it would have been faster and easier to deal with it when it was just a small thought.
- The begonias I planted, today, will get bigger if I water them, feed them, and keep the weeds away. With the right conditions, they will bloom beautifully the whole summer and give many weeks of pleasure. When they are larger, they will naturally shade out many weeds, it will be easier to keep the rest of the weeds in check. When we allow our spirit man to grow and bloom in the word and promises of God, the world’s way will seem strange to us and we will naturally resist much,.
- Don’t be fooled, the enemy is always looking for ways to get into our lives and destroy the very blessing God wants for us. Just as the seeds for the weeds is always present in the ground, so is the way of the world around us always clamoring for us to pay attention. We must choose which crop we want in our garden-do we want beautiful, glorious blooms all summer long? Or are we willing to put up with the scraggly, sticky weeds that grow up to choke the life out of the promise?
I’m going to work at pulling up those weeds and expect to enjoy the full bloom of the promise of God in the garden of my heart.
Blessings;
Kay
Isaiah 58:11 ( NIV ) The LORD will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.
Nature is Our Model
by Kay Montgomery
My blueberries are beginning to get ripe. As I was picking them this morning, I thought once
again how nature reflects spiritual truths to us. See my earlier post on theGarden of our Hearts.
I believe God designed nature in such a way that we can learn about ourselves and the things unseen by watching a observing the natural elements and rhythmsaround us. Consider these points;
1.Fruit and vegetables mature at a predesigned time. The time frame from planting to harvest is always the same for each type of fruit or vegetable. For instance, it takes 90 to 100 days from planting to harvest for most varieties of watermelon. The spiritual seeds planted in our lives are the same way. The promise of God is planted by faith, watered by the word, and comes tomaturity in the proper time.
Fruit and vegetables mature at a predesigned time. The time frame from planting to harvest is always the same for each type of fruit or vegetable. For instance, it takes 90 to 100 days from planting to harvest for most varieties of watermelon. The spiritual seeds planted in our lives are the same way. The promise of God is planted by faith, watered by the word, and comes tomaturity in the proper time.2.We cannot hurry the pace of ripening, or the answers to our prayers. I go out to look at my blueberry plants every morning, but they will begin to turn blue when they are ready and not before. I am forced to wait for the crop. No matter how impatient we are, the answers to our prayers often take longer than we'd like but always in the time they are supposed to. See my article on Pray about Everything in the Prayer Book.
We cannot hurry the pace of ripening, or the answers to our prayers. I go out to look at my blueberry plants every morning, but they will begin to turn blue when they are ready and not before. I am forced to wait for the crop. No matter how impatient we are, the answers to our prayers often take longer than we'd like but always in the time they are supposed to. See my article on Pray about Everything in the Prayer Book.3.All of the elements must be present to receive the harvest. My blueberries require a certain amount of sunlight, water, soil components, and time to give me the harvest of the fruit. My prayers also require certain things to be present for me to receive the answer. My prayer must have been offered in faith, based upon the promise of God, and nurtured by constant watering of the word.
All of the elements must be present to receive the harvest. My blueberries require a certain amount of sunlight, water, soil components, and time to give me the harvest of the fruit. My prayers also require certain things to be present for me to receive the answer. My prayer must have been offered in faith, based upon the promise of God, and nurtured by constant watering of the word.4.The harvest can be thrown by withdrawing any of the necessary elements. The term 'thrown' in relation to the harvest, simply means the fruit falls off the plant while still green, before it is ripe. Many times, our impatience prevents us from receiving the answers to our prayers. Once we have prayed in faith, based upon the promise of God, we must continue to believe God has heard us and the answer is on the way. If we begin to doubt and speak against the answer, it is difficult for God to get the answer to us. Remember Daniel's fast and prayer for the nation of Israel in Daniel, chapter nine? After twenty-one days the angel came to him and said "Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. As soon as you began to pray, an answer was given, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed.
The harvest can be thrown by withdrawing any of the necessary elements. The term 'thrown' in relation to the harvest, simply means the fruit falls off the plant while still green, before it is ripe. Many times, our impatience prevents us from receiving the answers to our prayers. Once we have prayed in faith, based upon the promise of God, we must continue to believe God has heard us and the answer is on the way. If we begin to doubt and speak against the answer, it is difficult for God to get the answer to us. Remember Daniel's fast and prayer for the nation of Israel in Daniel, chapter nine? After twenty-one days the angel came to him and said "Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. As soon as you began to pray, an answer was given, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed.Let us determine to wait patiently in faith for the answers to our prayers. Let us refuse to speak against the fruit already set and waiting for maturity. Join with me today as we read what James said about patience. He is speaking of waiting for the return of Jesus, but it applies to all answers to prayer.
James 5:7-8 ( NIV ) Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near.
