The Garden

Genesis 2:15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

There are plenty of life lessons to be learned from a garden. Maybe that's why gardens are mentioned so often in the Bible. A garden is a little micro version of the world. You start off not having the vaguest idea of what you are doing, but knowing that you want to do something wonderful and create something you can be proud of. Over the years you learn from your mistakes and get better and better at what you are doing. You understand how things work in the garden and how you can influence them. You get to know the players in the garden and can tell friend from foe even when they look very much alike. A lady bug resembles a dangerous predator in its larval stage, but you know to leave it in peace. You know when to get aggressive with the bug spray and when to leave things be. A cost benefit analysis is always running in your mind when you stare out at your garden domain.

Amos 4:9 I have smitten you with blasting and mildew: when your gardens and your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees increased, the palmerworm devoured them: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.

You never really master the garden though. It is something you tend not something you control. Sometimes despite your best preparations a plague of worms, viruses, disease, rain, cold. heat, etc... comes along and seemingly destroys all your big plans and dreams. On occasion you can do something about these things but often you cannot. You gripe and are sad and maybe even throw things.  You absolutely believe the whole thing is ruined, but the garden never dies and can never be destroyed so long as there is someone to tend it. It regenerates and everything is beautiful and magical again in time. Sometime it takes a long time and a lot of patience, but if you tend it it will happen. It's a life lesson indeed.

Isaiah 58:11 And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

John 20:15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.