Preparing and Cultivating

A few weeks ago our daughter-in-law drove several hours to come over and help us get our flower gardens prepared and planted.

We brought in lots of rich soil.

We planted bulbs.

My husband spent many hours driving

to get mulch to protect the plants from drought and heat,

So that one day our gardens would resemble this one that we have worked hard on in the past.

All of this reminded me so much of cultivating the life that God desires in me. The Holy Spirit ultimately does the work in me but I must make some preparation.

The sacrifice our daughter-in-law made driving from a far distance to help us reminded me of mentors and spiritual guides along this Christian walk. How wonderful to have those in our lives who care about us and our Christian growth and are willing to listen, to give Godly advice, and to lift us up when we are down.

The rich dirt and the mulch reminded me of the parables of the sower of seeds in the New Testament.

Jesus said in Matthew 13:18-23

"Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."

From Proverbs 4:23

Above all else, guard your heart,

for it is the wellspring of life.

Father God, I pray today that I will have eyes to see and ears to hear what your Word says about the cultivation of my soul. I pray that you will guard my heart for it is the fountain that waters my being. I pray that I will fill it with sweet things of you so that my mind and soul can be drenched with the life that comes from your waters.





I long to be carried under by living rivers from Him.