Genesis 2:15 (ESV)
The Lord God took the man
and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.
This evening after our walk
we started working in our garden. Tonight’s
goal was to get the potatoes in the ground. It made me think about how cultivation
and care for living, growing things is grounded deeply in the soul of who we
are as created beings in God’s garden.
In the beginning God planted
us human beings in his perfect garden. Previous verses from the creation story
make clear that God is the original gardener. He created the
vegetation—seed-bearing plants, trees that have fruit with seeds, shrubs, and
all kinds of trees. From the beginning, God intended this first garden to
produce food for all kinds of creatures and humankind year after year.
Genesis 2:15 shows that God
planted people in that first garden “to work it and take care of it.” This
suits us because we are from God—created in his image to be like him—and we are
also from the ground. We might even say that gardening—working and caring for
growing things—is in our bones. Cultivating the gifts of God for the glory of
God is what we are meant for.
Gardening involves
cultivating, planting, watering, pruning, protecting, harvesting, and much
more. When we are drawn to the world of soil, plants, and trees, it is no
coincidence. We’re designed to care for the earth, other creatures, and each
other. Cultivation is rooted in our beginning and continual thriving in God’s
garden.
Dear Lord, thank You for
this vision of the garden you planted in paradise for us to work and care for
with You. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
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