Beauty surrounds us, but we usually need to be walking in a garden to know it - Rumi
Autumn is that time of year when some of the plants in the garden die off. Their work is done. They have grown from last year’s seed flowered and produced seed of their own to continue the line. Now having fulfilled their given task and it is time for them to die.
Our lives are like that. As part of His plan for mankind God has put us on this earth for a very short space of time and gives each of us a task to perform. Just like the plants that task is specific to each one of us; a garden full of lavender bushes would give off a wonderful scent but would be quite uninteresting to look at. However when added to the garden containing a variety of flowers and shrubs the effect is quite pleasing. But how do we go about carrying out the task we have been given? Do we sit quietly at the back of the plot, like ferns in the woody, shaded part of the garden, allowing others to show off their bright blooms? Or are we like the raucous wallflowers we met earlier making sure that everyone sees and takes notice of us? Well, in his letter to the church at Corinth St Paul reminded them: 4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 1 Corinthians 12:4-7 So, as each of us has been allotted a specific task so we are given the appropriate gifts to carry it out. Thus like the plants it is up to us to use those gifts that we have been given, whatever they may be to perform our task to the best of our ability, which must be to the greater glory of God. But, a word of warning here, like the plants we have a limited life span on this earth and however wise we may be no one knows how long we have been given to do His Will. Thus it is essential to act now; to show God to the world in all we do today, whilst there is still time.
1 Comment
Steve Givens
29/9/2015 01:58:13 pm
What a wonderful notion...where is our place and what is our purpose in the garden...food and color for thought on this rather gloomy day in St. Louis...
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AuthorI am an Authorised Local Preacher in an Anglo Catholic parish church, in the Diocese of Essex UK Archives
February 2022
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