Great Commission Churches

April 2002

 Dear Sisters,

Spring has come sooner to Erin Hendricks in southern California than to us in the Midwest states. But it is on its way! (I love to be reminded of blooming flowers and fresh fruit when we have ice storms in late March in Ohio.) Erin has devoted much time and love to communicating to women about the spiritual “gardening” the Lord does in us to bring fruit for His glory. She speaks of God as the Master Gardener. He is so committed to our growth and us. He is able to bloom our flowers of beauty, and bless the fruit of our faithfulness. The raging, freezing storms that so easily disturb us do not hinder Him. So let’s trust His expert care in our lives!

With love and faith in His loving hands,

Sandy

Spring Fever

By Erin Hendricks, Mountain View Community Church, San Diego, California

In Southern California, spring arrives early. By February, I’m delirious with Spring Fever and all its wonderful symptoms. Some share my love for dirty nails and others probably feel it only ruins a good manicure, but I believe God loves gardening. In fact, I see God as the Master Gardener. He is our ever-vigilant caretaker, always ready to cut or transplant for our healthy growth. He tenderly takes care of our every need. And unlike my neglected garden in July, He is never “not in the mood” for us. The question we must ask ourselves is, “Will I entrust myself to the Gardener’s care?”

I’ve wondered, “Why does God garden?” It’s a messy business digging around in all of our lives. Why does He bother? My answer came when I also asked myself the same question. Why don’t I fill my yard with plastic plants and cover the ground with green gravel? Three reasons came to mind—Beauty, Pleasure, and Fruitfulness. I believe Scripture shows God to hold those same values. Colossians 1:10 says, “that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.” Let’s look at why God chooses to garden in our lives.

Beauty

I can’t look at the perfection of a delicate blue Columbine without marveling at its Designer. The majesty of the flower reflects the beauty of our Creator, Who is exquisite in every aspect. Revelation chapter four gives us a glimpse of His beauty. As a gazing ball, often found in English gardens, is intended to reflect the beauty of its surroundings, so our lives are to mirror our Creator. When we “live a life worthy of the Lord” as Colossians says, we reflect our Father’s beauty to the world around us, and our own beauty pales. Ezekiel 16:14 shows us how God desires us to be beautiful. “ ‘Then your fame went forth among the nations on account of your beauty, for it was perfect because of My splendor which I bestowed on you,’ declares the Lord God.”

When people look at our lives we want them to see the splendor of our Father. Many times I have had to stop and ask myself, “Whose beauty am I reflecting right now, my own, or my Father’s?” Is my concept of what it is to be beautiful in line with God’s view of beauty? How am I helping the women and girls of my church to define their view of beauty by the standards of God’s character?

Pleasure

Another reason I like to garden is simply because I enjoy it! There’s something rewarding about a bare plot of dirt that becomes a flourishing garden. I believe God gardens for pleasure too. Psalm 149:4 says, “For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation.” Do we realize that God takes pleasure in helping us grow? He actually enjoys you and me! None of us would argue that as believers we are in Christ. Think about what God said in John 3:17. “This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased.” If we are in Christ, then the Father is well pleased with us. Of course we fail, but as our Gardener, He knows that failure is part of our growth process. Knowing that God is pleased with us can dramatically change the way we think about ourselves. Do we sense God’s pleasure in the process of our growth? Are we patiently pleased with the seemingly slow process of growth in those that we minister to?

Fruitfulness

There is much that can be said about how God produces fruit in our lives, but ultimately God desires to reproduce His life in us. We all know what His fruit tastes like. It is the sweetness of the fruit of the spirit, the nourishment of good works, and the refreshment of changed lives. His fruit is the natural result of a branch that is a healthy and flourishing part of the vine. I’ve never seen my nectarine tree straining to produce fruit. As long as I keep the tree healthy, it just happens naturally. Being in ministry, we are expected to produce fruit, and so we do, especially good works. But at times we may need a fruit inspection. Is our fruit as sweet, nourishing, and refreshing as God’s fruit? Is our fruit on display in a bowl on the kitchen counter looking attractive and decorative? Be careful, it may rot. Or is our fruit so inviting that it is picked from our branches and consumed by those around us before we even noticed it was there? God desires to produce His fruit in us, so that He can feed a hungry world with His love and healing. Our responsibility is to remain in Him so that He can keep us healthy.

So, if you too become smitten with Spring Fever and feel the need for dirt sifting through your fingers, remind yourself as you are down on your knees planting, to keep entrusting yourself to the Gardener’s care. He will grow you up to be perfect in His beauty and bountiful with His fruit. And in you, He is well pleased!