Working as a gardener is a truly blessed job, dealing with our Lord’s creation on a daily basis. Flowers, fruit and vegetables, much of which we take for granted, are amazing if you stop for a minute and take another look.
Most days for me start with checking the 5 different glasshouse at Titsey, making sure the various plants have the correct amount of water, do they need feeding or supporting. They include vines, peach trees, tomatoes, cucumbers, melons, peppers, aubergines and a huge variety of house plants both flowering and foliage types. Regularly therefore my day starts with a close encounter and appreciation of our skilful Creator God.
Some of you are now saying well “I don’t have a garden” or “I have been told to stay indoors to help stop this virus spreading or me watching it!” Hopefully you are still managing to get fresh food supplies (if not do let us know so we can help you). The next time you pick up an apple or banana, cabbage or carrot, just pause and take another look.
See the incredible textures and colours, shapes and structures. All so different and beautiful. The apostle Paul encourages us in his letter to the Ephesian church:
“Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”Ephesians 5 v 19-20
I find most mornings I start to sing as I get the hosepipe out or cut a piece of raffia to support a new shoot on the vine.
There is much to be sad about at this time but let us look to Jesus and consider the bean that grew to make our coffee, the leaf on the bush that makes our tea, the cane that grew our sugar, the cow that produced our milk.
I pray that as we begin each day we will rejoice in Him and be Glad. He promised He will never leave us or forsake us and His creation is all around us to remind us of His everlasting Love.
– Rhod Jones.
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash
