A Faith Garden

Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. . . . By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.

Hebrews 11:1,3

Saturday some Baylor University students and I planted a special garden on the Wesley Foundation grounds. We set out tomato, cabbage, bell pepper, oregano and marigold plants with youth from Mount Zion United Methodist Church, who live in one of the worst zip codes for child welfare in the U.S. Then we potted plants for them to take home to nurture.

Each of the children and youth Mount Zion is reaching out to, through tutoring and other connections, has already faced substantial challenge in life. But that congregation and some of us at the Wesley Foundation have faith that God can raise them to triumphant life.

A dear friend, knowing my love of growing things, gave me a plaque that says, “A garden is a sign of faith.” I can plant seeds, but I cannot make them grow or blossom or produce fruit. I can only cooperate in what God does. Putting seeds or plants in the ground requires faith that the word of God continues to bring forth beauty and goodness in this world God’s word prepared. I pray those plants will be signs to those youth of our faith in what God can grow in them and that nurturing their plants will put them in touch with the God who seeks to heal them, strengthen them and draw them forward. 

God’s peace,

Katie

Good Dirt

Jesus said, “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!”

Matthew 13:3-9

If we were to move from the house where we live, one thing that would be very hard to leave is the garden dirt. I’ve worked with that soil for several years, mostly adding organic matter. Most of the garden has become easy to work, and plants thrive, sometimes producing enough to freeze or give away. Every so often, though, like yesterday, I encounter a spot with solid clay only a couple of inches below the surface. I put in seeds and wish them luck.

Jesus’ asks us to look at what kind of dirt we are for the seed of God’s Word. Are we on a path, out in the open where evils and distractions will devour the Word before it can sprout? Are we rocky soil, where the Word can take root, but the roots can’t go deep because our hearts are hard, and the seed God plants withers quickly. Do we support lots of weeds – interests and occupations that draw our minds and hearts elsewhere? Or are we good soil that offers its very being freely to grow the seeds God plants in us?

Unlike garden soil, the soil of our lives can change daily – or even more often. We don’t need to worry whether God will speak a Word to us – through scripture, a teacher, a friend or a stranger. God is always sowing seeds. We do need to cultivate our soil, so that God’s seeds can grow. I can’t imagine how many Words from God have withered in me. Maybe my garden soil will remind me to cultivate my heart.

God’s peace,

Katie

God the Chef

You cause the grass to grow for the cattle, and plants for people to use, to bring forth food from the earth, and wine to gladden the human heart, oil to make the face shine, and bread to strengthen the human heart.

Psalms 104:14-15

Yesterday, our meal at an Italian restaurant began with wonderful fresh bread – very light with a fine texture and yeasty aroma – accompanied by a good olive oil with herbs and garlic for dipping. (If you are drooling, go ahead. That’s what I’m aiming for.) It certainly was not the stuff of New Year’s resolutions to cut back calories. Rather, it was just delightful. We couldn’t help but focus full attention on enjoying it. When the salad course came, we said grace, but I think we already had voiced our thanksgiving in the oohs and ahhs over the bread.

Maybe it’s helpful to envision God as a loving chef, who places banquets of food, people, plants, animals, stars and so many other wonders before us. Perhaps this Heavenly Chef is looking, as many cooks do, to see a sign of pleasure on our parts. Do we catch the flavor, the beauty, the intricacy of the gifts God places before us or the the love that goes into them?

It doesn’t take much to make a cook’s efforts worthwhile, just an ooh or ahh or “Wow.” But first we have to stop to “taste and see that the Lord is good.” (Psalm 34:8)

God’s peace,

Katie

Correcting Love

Jesus said, “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

                                                                                                                            John 13:34-35

Loving someone in the ways Jesus commands is so much more than a feeling. Feelings can come and go when someone pleases us or does not. Sometimes Christ-like love is an act of will and self-discipline. It means reaching out, when I want to turn away, and seeing the other person’s possibilities, when it is much easier to see reject the current bad behavior.

If we love as God loves, our love is unconditional, but that doesn’t mean always supporting the other person’s actions, no matter what. Jesus loved the people of God, their scriptures and their worship. But he cleansed the Temple in a display of faithfulness to God and grief over what their worship had become. (John 2) Scripture offers us many images of God’s grief over our sin.

Sometimes out of love, we grieve painfully what another person is doing or becoming. And, though it is harder for us to see it, we sometimes grieve people who love us. Are we willing to let someone love us in the name of Christ enough to let that person correct us? Are we willing risk loving someone enough to call him or her back to being the person we know God made them to be?

Receiving or giving correcting love requires great humility. We can be wrong about ourselves or someone else. I have never once enjoyed being confronted about myself and my actions, even out of love, but I’m thankful for the people who have loved me enough to risk doing it.

God’s peace,

Katie