The Divine Gardener Knows

 I am NOT a gardener.  But I do appreciate the countless life-lessons that derive from gardening.  God's creation is a hands-on classroom, indeed. So, every summer I make, rather pathetic attempts at planting stuff.  Most of my efforts yield disappointing results...probably due to the fact that I have no clue what I'm doing.  This year, though, I did a bit of research before I decided what to plant.  In doing so, however, I found out information that helped me with an earlier effort that had also ended up in catastrophe. 

A year ago, I decided to be brave and resolved to make a friend who needed cheering up, a planter with succulents.  Rather than just doing what I usually do, which is buy an arrangement made by expert hands, I figured I wanted it to be special, so I made it myself.  I found this really colorful and pretty clay planter which I thought would be perfect! Then, I bought a couple of species of succulents and planted them.  How hard could it be, right? After all, some of them are cacti.  If the desert doesn't kill them, how could I, right? WRONG! 

I thought I was so smart.  It turns out I wasn't.  Soon after I planted them, they started to rot and die.  Soon, the whole thing was a miserable mess and I didn't know what I was doing wrong.  I put them outside...that didn't work.  I kept them inside, that seemed to be a bit better, but no real improvement.  I water them.  Gave them light...even talked to them.  I asked them, "whatup"?  But they didn't answer...so I gave up.  Fast forward to this year, as I was researching about my current endeavors, I saw the beautiful planter, sad reminder of my previous failures, and almost without thinking, I googled "how to grow succulents." Well, the first thing I read was:  "DO NOT OVER WATER or they will ROT!  Only water when the soil is bone-dry."

Well, needless to say, I felt so dumb.  Of course they can't be over-watered...they are desert creatures.  So I went and got a couple more which looked just exquisite.  Pulled out the sorry-looking skeletons of what once was something beautiful, and planted the new ones.  I'm happy to say that my diligence has paid off.  It's been over a month and they are looking radiant! I found a perfect spot where they get plenty of sunlight and I wait until the soil is dry before I water.  I keep moving them so they grow straight as they turn toward the sun, and I tell them how gorgeous they are.  I believe I might even be able to actually present them to my friend as a worthy gift after all.

All I needed to do was to familiarized myself with the plants.  I needed to know them, find out about their needs, so I could provide for them in a manner that would make them grow and thrive.  It is very difficult to nurture that which we don't know.  What seems right for some, is completely wrong for others, and if we don't care enough to know...we end up doing more damage than good.  No water? What do you mean, a plant doesn't need much water?! In my amateur gardening skills, that was completely counter-intuitive.  But I didn't know what the right conditions needed to be for these plants to prosper...

Good thing God knows us inside and out.  He knows what we need and what we don't need way better than we know ourselves.  We complain and reject our circumstances, but God is a Divine Gardener who is fully knowledgeable on the subject of us...and what seems wrong to us, is exactly what we need so we can eventually grow and bloom.  He plants us where He wants us, because He knows that's where we need to be.  It's just that simple.  

I pray that next time we feel unseen, unknown, un-cared for, unloved, we remember that we are in the hands of the Gardener Who not only planted us, but designed us, and that He knows exactly what He is doing in our lives for our benefit and prosperity.  In the Precious Name of Jesus.  Amen!

 

Bible Verses on Being Known By God*

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. Psalm 139:13

Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. Psalm 139:16

You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. Psalm 139:1

You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. Psalm 139:2

You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Psalm 139:3

Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely. Psalm 139:4

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:14

(*From https://www.estherdorotik.net/blog/31-bible-verses-about-god-knowing-us-and-unconditional-love/)