Understanding God: He is A Nurturer
The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden… Now a river went out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it parted and became four riverheads. – Genesis 2:8-10
In continuation of our exploration of the nature and character of God, our meditation today shall be on His attributes as a Gardener or Nurturer. In other words, we will be exploring His nurturing attributes.
By nature, God is a nurturer. He did not have to do anything on earth when His work was done. But after He created it, He did not stop cultivating and tending it. That was why He formed the different earthly creatures He made – the birds, sea creatures, plants, animals and humans, all inhabitants of the earth. He did not stop there, He also decided to cultivate a garden, a special place for Himself on earth where He could lounge whenever He came by (Genesis 3:8).
It’s the thinking behind such an endeavor that we are considering today as we appreciate the nature of God. It takes someone who is deeply connected to nature to want to plant a garden. Just like most vocations, it requires its own unique disposition of the heart to venture into it. One must love nature to want to plant a garden. So this garden God planted eastward in Eden was an indication of His love for nature. He did not just make all things; He also appreciates the beauty in all things.
There is also an element of meticulousness in planting a garden. One does not just dig in random plants in a garden. Careful thoughts usually go into choosing the plants and flowers that would be planted there. So the idea of planting a garden also indicates God observing this special care in choosing what plants should be cultivated in the garden He was planting out of all the species He had created.
Having a garden also requires certain disciplines to keep the plants fresh and alive. We also see this in God. He did not just start a garden and then left it when the novelty of seeing it was over, No. He also instituted two mechanisms to keep the garden going. Firstly, He channeled a great river from Eden to water the garden thus keeping it forever nurtured. Secondly, He also created man (Adam) and placed him in the garden to tend it.
Therefore, while the point of our meditation today is not on gardening per se, it is more on the inner workings of the heart of true gardeners. They are lovers of nature, they are nurturers, they are preservers, they appreciate beauty, they value life, and they do all these with passion and appreciation of the environment. These are offshoots from God, the Ultimate One.
Jesus Loves You!
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