The Good Gardener

The Good Gardener

Scripture: Jesus said:  “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. [John 15:1-2]

Reflection: Sometimes I wonder if the Bible is just a gardeners manual written in secret code, then I remember it was written to a more agricultural based society who would intimately understand the gardening metaphors . It also makes sense that  the gardening wisdom is used as an example because it works! I’ve even tried a few of the gardening advices from it in my actual garden.

A few years ago I had a pear tree that didn’t bear much fruit so worked some compost around it and the next year it was loaded with fruit (Luke 13:6-9). Then today, I stumbled on a YouTube video about pruning tomato plants to make them healthier and more productive so I found myself out in the garden examining the vines and cutting out the branches that seemed to be a burden to the plants health. When I was done I was a bit shocked at how scraggly (lean and airy) the plants looked. As I walked in the house Jesus’s words about pruning came to mind and I’m excited to witness their effect on my tomato harvest.

I can also apply this verse to my life. Through the years, I took interest in a lot of hobbies, so many in fact that my life has become a massive and bushy mess. Joining the Church has helped slowly prune things back; ever since I crowned Jesus King of my life, He’s been pruning out those things that don’t bear His fruit. Yet, for the past few years I neglected a lot of things in my life as God was drawing me closer and closer to Him. When I wasn’t involved in some church activity, I had my nose buried in a book learning about Him. Now that I’m overflowing with knowledge of Him, I’ve been getting back into a few of the hobbies I had that help glorify God.

Two really important ones are photography and gardening. Through my photography I am able to share the splendor of God’s myriad creation with the others, and gardening helps me care for that creation and witness just how amazing the world can be in a single square foot of space. I no longer need to travel around the world to be amazed, I can be amazed with every step I take through my yard.

Heavenly Father, keep pruning out my unproductive branches and help me more and more produce the fruit that glorifies You!

I recently attended Midnight Mass at St. Cecelia’s Cathedral in Omaha, Ne, during the service, they would sing the scripture and I found it very beautiful. I went on a quest to find recordings of sung scripture but haven’t found it like the echoing chants of that wonderful Christmas eve. Here though, is part of the chapter where my devotion verses abided being song in a more modern electronic rock song. Enjoy!