By Inid Starrenburg

I too, do not have a green thumb. Gardening is not my strong suit. I don’t find it relaxing, therapeutic or desirable. I actually dislike weeding altogether yet always delight in the produce. A few years back I planted a small vegetable garden in our backyard, excitedly, knowing how wonderful the produce would be.

As the garlic, onions, and carrots began to cut the earth with their green, I watched with excitement waiting for the crop. Days went by, busyness happened and my garden grew neglected, very neglected. My husband would urge me to get in there and pluck the masses of weeds that were taking over my neat little rows of yum but I always seemed to find other things to do to fill my time.

The more I looked at my overgrown weed bed the more I desired to stay away from it. I detest weeding. It would be too much work. I could not pick out which piece of green was produce or weed. The weeds soon grew taller than the produce. Once I put my mind to cleaning my garden I had a hard time discerning what was carrot top and what I should pull out by the root. The quality of produce was actually affected due to the lack of care I put into my garden. The veggies were small, and though very tasty, did not satisfy for long.

Consider the contrast in a well kept garden. It is never difficult to pick out what is produce. The crop is of great quality, supplying and sustaining for long after its harvested.

This is much like our relationship with Christ. If it is not a priority, if we are not intentional daily, the neat perfect rows of His Promises that fill our garden heart start to fade from sight (or thought) as the weeds of worldliness grow. Without proper care, the weeds will overtake the garden, choking out the promises that have been planted carefully there. The promises become hard to find, affecting our prayer life, our responses to adversity or trial, and to one another. If we take care of our relationship with Christ with intention, the weeds don’t have a chance to choke out the promises. The promises are easily drawn upon for every season of need, supplying and sustaining in prayer, in adversity or trial and in our daily relationships with one another.