The Gardener

Yesterday we talked about plants being root bound, apparently my mind is still browsing the lawn and garden section, because today I want to talk about our Gardener. Yes, I have a Gardener. We all have one. You say – first I’ve heard of it, you ought to see my yard – Where’s He been anyway?


If you’re anything like me, your spiritual “garden” looks a little shabby sometimes. It’s dry due to lack of water, there’s little to no blooming going on, and frankly, sometimes the weeds are up to my neck! That’s what happens when I don’t let my Gardener come to work for a while, but when He’s been there – whew how beautiful the transformation! Mind you - that beauty doesn’t come over night, but if I let the Gardener do what He does best, he knows just what my garden needs to make it beautiful and to get it blooming again.

When I call Him, He makes my request a priority. The Gardener comes quickly and He begins by watering my garden with abundant amounts of His love and He lets that soak in for a while. Once my soil has become moist, soft, workable, He walks through my garden and surveys the condition. He knows the difference between the weeds and the plants and knows just what has to go. One by one, He pulls those weeds by hand from the root. Sometimes the roots have grown pretty deep because I’ve allowed it to grow there for a while, requiring Him to use a more of His strength to pull the roots from the ground. There are some weeds that have been there so long that once He pulls them, it leaves a gaping hole in my garden. Then He pulls another and another. I begin to wonder if the garden looked better with the weeds instead of all of the holes until He starts the next part of His job. He brings in new fresh soil to fill in the holes the weeds have left and overnight, my garden is more pleasing to the eye. Once He has filled in the holes, He tenderly prunes my flowers. At first it upsets me that He has just chopped off what was left of my plants, but He reminds me that He is an expert at this, to trust Him, that His job is not complete. Once the flowers have been pruned, he brings in fertilizer and sprinkles it in just the exact spots that need it. He waters it in with some more love. Then the Son shines and it seems my little plants point their faces in His direction. In just a couple of days, things begin to look up. The plants produce new growth and start to make new, healthier blooms. The color of the blossoms catching the eye of more passers by everyday. The Gardener is so eager to work my Garden every time I allow Him. He takes such pride in its progress. I’ve even heard that He tells His assistants at the greenhouse about how well my garden is coming along. Every day he gently walks through the garden, tenderly touching all of the flowers admiring their beauty and if He comes upon a weed, He stoops down to His knees, and pulls it out by the root. This time it doesn’t leave such a gaping hole since it hasn’t been there as long and the soil has been watered on His schedule. He knows exactly which flowers and plants look great together, complementing each other. He really has a knack for this stuff, some of the plants seem to attract hummingbirds and butterflies, bringing me much joy. There have been a couple of times when observers have mentioned the sweet fragrance drifting from my garden as they pass to and fro, and I can’t help but tell them about my Gardener!

………………My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, he prunes it, that it may bear more fruit. John 15:1

But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be rooted up.” Matthew 15:13

Amy Dotson, RPDOTK (Royal Princess Daughter Of The King)