It’s that time of year again, and farmers are busy planting their crops while others are busy getting their gardens ready.  I can’t help but think about all the time, commitment and hard work it takes to grow a beautiful, producing garden.  I am not a farmer or a gardener but I remember how my Mom and Dad worked hard to put the garden in for our family and how my Mom and Grandmother canned green beans, beets, made pickles and many other vegetables and fruits.  I remember how hard our family all worked to take care of the garden.  Weeding, hoeing and watering were everyday chores that were necessary to take care of our garden.

The relationship between cultivating, planting and nourishing a garden is similiar to the care needed for taking care of our spiritual lives.  If a garden is not cultivated, planted and nourished properly it will not grow.  The same is true of our spiritual lives. If we do not take the time, have the commitment and if we are not willing to put hard work into it, we will not grow spiritually.  Just as a garden needs attention, so does our spiritual life.

Have you ever seen a garden that has been left unattended?  It is not beautiful nor does it produce.  It is overcome by weeds, strangled and root-bound. Sin in our lives, just as weeds in a garden must be kept out.  We can keep sin from strangling our spiritual lives by providing proper nourishment.  This nourishment comes from studying God’s Word, praying and fellowshipping with other Christians.  Paul tells us in I Corinthians 9 verse 27 “I buffet my body daily” meaning he disciplines himself and does what is necessary to keep his spiritual life in shape.

Staying close to God’s Word is essential to the Christian’s spiritual life and studying God’s Word helps to keep sin out of our lives.  Paul in II Timothy 22:15 tells us to “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth.”  God’s Word is the word of truth, and as Christians we know there are things around every corner which the devil will use to try to pull us down spiritually if we are not attentive to our spiritual gardens.

Prayer is another way to help us keep our spiritual lives free from sin.  The scripture tells us that communication with God is essential to our spiritual lives.                  I Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to “Pray without ceasing.”  Prayer does more than just help us with our problems.  It is a way to express to God our praise and worship and it strengthens our faith, and is a source of renewal.  As Christians we need prayer to keep our spiritual lives healthy and strong.  Just as the farmer gives his crops water and fertilizer to keep them healthy, prayer can help keep our spiritual lives healthy and strong.

Living with sin all around us is not easy.  Encouraging one another in prayer and study of God’s Word will help us remain strong spiritually.  In Hebrews 10, Paul talks about drawing near to God by faith and not letting our faith waiver.  We can help each other stand firm in our faith.  In verse 25, Paul tells us not to forsake “the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another…”  Fellowship, supporting one another in Christian love will help us take care of our spiritual gardens and keep us strong and unwavering in our faith.

Would we rather have a garden strangled by weeds or a beautiful garden free to grow – not bound by anything?  Just as the farmer or gardner puts in time, commitment, and hard work to make his crop grow, so must we as Christians be willing to put time, commitment and hard work into our spiritual garden.  The study of God’s Word, prayer, and fellowship with other Christians will help our spiritual lives grow and produce good fruit.  (Ah another great topic the Fruit of the Spirit which I will leave for another blog.)