In families, roles and duties are shared and each person contributes according to his or her ability. In the gardening that Don and I do, my job is pulling weeds. Don plans carefully, selecting the plants, preparing the soil, and adding the necessary fertilizer before the plant is actually placed in the ground. All of this requires a great amount of thinking on his part, and I very much enjoy his efforts. My job is pulling weeds. I don't have to think, plan, or prepare. I can feel the sunshine, wonder at God's work, pray, and listen in my heart for God's whispers. Yet, without my pulling weeds, the garden would be much different.
The church is also my family and perhaps God sees the church as His garden. Groups, organizations, classes and fun times together all require planning, preparation, getting materials together, and people who are willing to do these jobs. All of the work we do for God is important, and we reflect God's love as we work to make our church His garden of people, each unique, each with differing abilities, and each doing his or her part.
Every garden needs a focal point, and as a Christian serving God, I see Jesus as the focal point of my home and my church and rejoice in my heart that a generous and loving God gave His Son that I might always be a part of His Garden.
Prayer: I thank You God, Father of all, for the gift of Jesus Christ, and I ask that His Spirit of love and humility be always in our hearts. I pray that all people grow in Christ and as individual families and churches we love and nurture one another as God has loved and nurtured us. Amen
Joan Marshall in the 2005 St. Mark Presbyterian Lenten Devotional
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