The Master Gardener

Ah, Spring! The birds are singing, the buds and flowers are bursting forth, and there's the sound of a tiller in a nearby garden. April showers may bring May flowers, but that tiller sound means Charlie is on the job again, and there will be fresh vegetables and fruits in a few weeks. Charlie is nearly 80 years old and has the reputation of being a gardener's gardener. His quest every year is to produce a bountiful harvest, and he knows what it takes to accomplish that.

Charlie knows that the soil must be prepared before the seeds are sown. He also knows that crops grown in naturally fertilized soils taste better and are healthier to eat. So, well in advance of the planting season, he prepares compost that will be mixed into the soil during tilling. This enriches the soil without using artificial fertilizers. For the same reasons, Charlie does not use pesticides. Much more work is required to do a garden this way, but the results are worth the efforts.

After preparing the soil and sowing seed, Charlie makes sure the garden has proper amounts of water and is free of weeds. As the plants start growing, he prunes them as necessary and provides for proper growth to maximize their fruitfulness. He uses cages for the tomatoes and cucumbers, poles for the beans. He sets traps and even uses an electric fence around the corn to keep the raiders out. Ralph, the seven foot snake, does his part to reduce the numbers of rodents making off with the bounty (two-legged rodents, as well as, four-legged).

The best part of it is, when the harvest time comes, Charlie starts taking the fruit of his labors to shut-ins and widows and others in need. Boy, do we enjoy sharing the feast, too!

Charlie did not start out as a master gardener; he had to learn as he went along. Now he's a master at it, he loves what he's doing, and his efforts are benefiting many people today. But, it's more than hard work plus knowledge and ability. He puts his whole heart into producing that harvest, and because his heart is in it, he perseveres in the face of the obstacles that would prevent his efforts from coming to fruition. Don't miss the importance of Charlie's attitude: his love for what he does is the key to his success in doing it. If he didn't enjoy doing it so much, then he wouldn't be as successful at it.

This principle is true in everything we do and is essential in being successful in God's kingdom. If we don't enjoy what we're doing in the kingdom, then we will not do our best. If we are not going to give God our best, then we need to reevaluate our motives and find out why we're not giving God the very best we have to offer: "For God loves a cheerful giver." 2 Corinthians 9:7

We should give cheerfully no matter what our circumstances, and we should not allow trials to rob us of our joy while we're serving God in what he has called us to do. According to Nehemiah 8:10, the joy of the Lord is our strength; If we don't have God's joy, then we don't have God's strength. And we cannot have God's joy, if we are not doing what He has called us to do.

You may be asking yourself the question, "How do I know what God has called me to do?" The answer may be easier to find than you think. To discover what God's purpose is for your life, ask yourself these questions:

What do you really enjoy doing?
Can what you enjoy doing be used in God's Kingdom?

To help find the answer to the first question, try to remember what you dreamed of doing when you were young. What was it that caught your imagination or filled you with enthusiasm? Don't try to limit yourself to only one answer. Take some time with this and really search your soul. God has put the answers there.

To help find the answer to the second question, look for others in the Body of Christ who are already doing something similar and help them. In the process of genuinely helping them succeed, you'll learn and grow while sowing into their ministry. This, by the way, is God's way of passing on a mantle from one generation to the next (for more see "The Magnetic Mantle or Why Cats Should Have Kitties").

It is possible to go it alone, but God's way of teaching is to have the more experienced members of the Church work with those who have less experience. It's much easier to "learn the ropes" when you have an expert there to guide you.

Also, don't tell yourself that you can't do something in the Kingdom until you're an expert at it. Don't buy that lie!

"The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord." But, God can't guide your steps until you start taking steps. Remember, baby steps are natural and acceptable for someone who is just starting to walk. And what God has called us to is a walk of faith, and He promised that signs would follow them that believe. But, signs cannot follow a person who isn't moving (or who's sliding backwards).

Here are four key points to remember:

Start - God will bring the direction
Rest - Relax!!!
Wait - Enjoy the season between the sowing to the reaping
Trust - Count God's promises as already done!

He'll never fail to do what He's promised, unless we keep Him from accomplishing what He's promised.

May God bless you with a bountiful harvest!


	The Master Gardener Ah, Spring! The birds are singing, the buds and flowers are bursting forth, and there's the sound of a tiller in a nearby garden. April showers may bring May flowers, but that tiller sound means Charlie is on the job again, and there will be fresh vegetables and fruits in a few weeks. Charlie is nearly 80 years old and has the reputation of being a gardener's gardener. His quest every year is to produce a bountiful harvest, and he knows what it takes to accomplish that. Charlie knows that the soil must be prepared before the seeds are sown. He also knows that crops grown in naturally fertilized soils taste better and are healthier to eat. So, well in advance of the planting season, he prepares compost that will be mixed into the soil during tilling. This enriches the soil without using artificial fertilizers. For the same reasons, Charlie does not use pesticides. Much more work is required to do a garden this way, but the results are worth the efforts. After preparing the soil and sowing seed, Charlie makes sure the garden has proper amounts of water and is free of weeds. As the plants start growing, he prunes them as necessary and provides for proper growth to maximize their fruitfulness. He uses cages for the tomatoes and cucumbers, poles for the beans. He sets traps and even uses an electric fence around the corn to keep the raiders out. Ralph, the seven foot snake, does his part to reduce the numbers of rodents making off with the bounty (two-legged rodents, as well as, four-legged). The best part of it is, when the harvest time comes, Charlie starts taking the fruit of his labors to shut-ins and widows and others in need. Boy, do we enjoy sharing the feast, too! Charlie did not start out as a master gardener; he had to learn as he went along. Now he's a master at it, he loves what he's doing, and his efforts are benefiting many people today. But, it's more than hard work plus knowledge and ability. He puts his whole heart into producing that harvest, and because his heart is in it, he perseveres in the face of the obstacles that would prevent his efforts from coming to fruition. Don't miss the importance of Charlie's attitude: his love for what he does is the key to his success in doing it. If he didn't enjoy doing it so much, then he wouldn't be as successful at it. This principle is true in everything we do and is essential in being successful in God's kingdom. If we don't enjoy what we're doing in the kingdom, then we will not do our best. If we are not going to give God our best, then we need to reevaluate our motives and find out why we're not giving God the very best we have to offer: "For God loves a cheerful giver." 2 Corinthians 9:7 We should give cheerfully no matter what our circumstances, and we should not allow trials to rob us of our joy while we're serving God in what he has called us to do. According to Nehemiah 8:10, the joy of the Lord is our strength; If we don't have God's joy, then we don't have God's strength. And we cannot have God's joy, if we are not doing what He has called us to do. You may be asking yourself the question, "How do I know what God has called me to do?" The answer may be easier to find than you think. To discover what God's purpose is for your life, ask yourself these questions: What do you really enjoy doing? Can what you enjoy doing be used in God's Kingdom? To help find the answer to the first question, try to remember what you dreamed of doing when you were young. What was it that caught your imagination or filled you with enthusiasm? Don't try to limit yourself to only one answer. Take some time with this and really search your soul. God has put the answers there. To help find the answer to the second question, look for others in the Body of Christ who are already doing something similar and help them. In the process of genuinely helping them succeed, you'll learn and grow while sowing into their ministry. This, by the way, is God's way of passing on a mantle from one generation to the next (for more see "The Magnetic Mantle or Why Cats Should Have Kitties"). It is possible to go it alone, but God's way of teaching is to have the more experienced members of the Church work with those who have less experience. It's much easier to "learn the ropes" when you have an expert there to guide you. Also, don't tell yourself that you can't do something in the Kingdom until you're an expert at it. Don't buy that lie! "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord." But, God can't guide your steps until you start taking steps. Remember, baby steps are natural and acceptable for someone who is just starting to walk. And what God has called us to is a walk of faith, and He promised that signs would follow them that believe. But, signs cannot follow a person who isn't moving (or who's sliding backwards). Here are four key points to remember: Start - God will bring the direction Rest - Relax!!! Wait - Enjoy the season between the sowing to the reaping Trust - Count God's promises as already done! He'll never fail to do what He's promised, unless we keep Him from accomplishing what He's promised. May God bless you with a bountiful harvest!
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