The Garden of Dreams

I find great joy in gardening. If you're a gardener, you know it involves two major parts: nurturing and caring for the harvest-producing plants and the most annoying task of controlling and eliminating the weeds. Every gardener dreams of a perfect world where there would be no weeds, only fruit-bearing plants.

While studying Genesis, I discovered that the first garden God planted was like the perfect garden I often dream about. It did not have shrubs or weeds. The Bible says there were no plants or shrubs growing out of the ground because there was no rain. However, there were trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. Since there was no rain, the trees were watered by underground streams. (Genesis 2:5-9, NIV)

Weeds and shrubs grow in very shallow ground and depend on rain for growth. But trees send their roots deep down. They have access to and tap into a different source of water: underground streams that make them pleasing and fruit-bearing.

God’s perfect garden also resembles us, his people.

We can't connect to God with a shallow relationship. Our relationship with Him needs to develop deep roots. There, we can connect to the source of water that comes from within. Then, we can truly bring a pleasing aroma to the world and become fruitful in His Kingdom.

"Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them." (John 7:38 NIV)