Back to the Garden: A 10-Day DevotionalSample

Nurture Your Garden

We have put in a lot of work and effort into getting our gardens to where they are now, but one super important step to gardening is nurturing it. Just because we tested the soil and planted some seeds, we cannot abandon our garden.

This is where you will put those gardening tools that we discussed on Day 3 to good use. In this scripture, James encourages us to practice patient endurance. Patient endurance is not an excuse to procrastinate, it is a call to be productive and active.

The frustrating, yet beautiful thing about gardening is that we must wait for things to grow, we cannot rush the process. The farmer in this scripture is not just waiting patiently for the rains, but he is also eagerly looking with expectation for the harvest to ripen. This is what faith looks like, waiting, but also eagerly seeking God with the expectation that He will add things unto you.

As gardeners, there is much work to be done to ensure a valuable harvest; remember, this harvest is not just for us but others as well. In Matthew 28, Jesus tells His disciples about the great commission and what we are called to do as believers until His return.

If you are unsure of what God is calling you to do during this season of patiently enduring, there is a universal calling for us all and that is to go out and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and to teach God's commands to them.

Advancing God’s Kingdom is a part of nurturing our garden because as Christians we are one body, so when we nurture our lives with God’s word and allow God to prune us, when necessary, we can help the body of believers nurture their gardens.

Think of all the people you could feed if multiple gardens were being developed and harvested. We must carry the mindset of a good farmer; they harvest plenty of food to feed a multitude of people, not just their households. So be sure to nurture your garden and help others to nurture theirs so that more people have access to the Kingdom of God when Jesus returns.

Reflect

• What is an area of your life where God is calling you to be patient?
• How can you begin walking in the calling God has on your life?
• What are some steps you can take to begin sharing the Gospel with others?