Monday, April 23, 2012

Well-watered Garden

This Spring has been very warm and dry.  I love the warm part.  We've had some B-E-A-utiful days this Spring.  But after a while of no rain you start to see some consequences.  I have a number of things already planted in my garden.  My lettuce is coming up, my broccoli is starting to do better, my peppers are hanging in and a few others things are doing well.  My trash-can potatoes are doing awesome.  There really hasn't been much rain to keep things watered, so I've had to go out every day either with my watering bucket or the hose to water the garden.  I also planted grass seed in a few bare spots in our yard that I've had to water.  For a while things were looking pretty dry.  The dirt in the garden was dry.  The places I had planted grass were very dry and hard.

But Saturday night it started raining and today (Monday) it's still raining.  I came across this Scripture: "The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy you needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame.  You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail" (Isaiah 58:11).  The rain has been great for the garden and the yard and our flower beds.  I'm looking forward to seeing how things will grow once the sun comes out again.  Far more comforting is knowing that God satisfies my needs.  He gives me refreshment and new life when I feel dried out and sun-scorched.  There have been times this Spring, while working in the garden or yard, where I've just reflected on everything God has blessed me with.  My wife and son, my home and food, my church family, my job.  In these times I feel refreshed and renewed.  I know that God has blessed me in order for me to be a blessing.

Thank you God for rain.  For watering the garden and helping things to grow.  Thank you for the refreshment you send into my life and for the way you satisfy my needs.  Amen

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Sustainable Living?

Last week I was working on mulching our flower beds around the house. This is the first year that I've been responsible for edging, mulching and maintaining my own flower beds. It's a treat, once it's done. But as I talked about earlier, work is not a bad thing. I was reflecting again on the Creation story that begins in a garden. Today you hear a lot about Sustainable Living. It's a big deal because the way much of the world is living cannot continue. During the industrial revolution the church developed a theology of Dominion over creation rather than stewardship of creation. We've stripped the land, developed unhealthy, unnatural practices and over-all degraded God's good creation. So sustainable living is a step in the right direction.

But in the Creation Story God says "be fruitful" (Gen. 1:28) and the writer states God placed the man in the garden to "work it and take care of it" (Gen. 2:15). It seems that God intended life to multiply for growth and expansion. And for it to be done in harmony with the rest of creation. Today we're just hoping that we can hand something down to the next generation through sustainable living.

A few years ago a the Grove we started a recycling ministry. We recycle paper in the office and used bulletins as well as plastic, metal and glass containers in the kitchen and old magazines. I remember when we started that the group said if anyone should care about Creation and being green, it's Christians. We should be the ones leading the way in being stewards of God's creation. It doesn't mean that we can't use resources that God has provided for us, but that we should use those resources in a responsible way. The way we live should be fruitful and multiply for the next generation. What if all Christians would take a look at our resources and practices and seek for the best way to honor God in those ways. Perhaps we would change from just being sustainable to being fruitful and multiplying.

Resurrection!

I always look forward to Easter. From Palm Sunday through Love Feast and Communion on Thursday, Black Friday and of course Easter Sunday. When I was a little kid I was excited because it meant an Easter basket (or paper bag) with candy. We also would get a chocolate cross from church made of snickers and milky way candy bars fused together with icing decorations on top. But Easter has changed as I've gotten older. Now I have a better understanding of what it means for my faith. This past Palm Sunday we celebrated the coming of the king into Jerusalem. The Jews intended to crown and earthly king. Instead it becomes the inauguration of a different kind of kingdom. This Thursday the Mechanic Grove community will celebrate Lovefeast and Communion. This year will be a little different as we celebrate with hispanic brothers and sisters from Lancaster. We will enact Isaiah 56:7 that says God's house will be a house of prayer for all nations. It will be a new look at the church and seeing different people groups united in communion. Friday I will reflect on Christ's sacrifice on the cross. Not only his sacrifice but also his crowning (I wrote about this previously here).

But this year I am especially looking forward to celebrating Resurrection Sunday. Jesus' triumph over sin and death. New, restored, completed, perfected life. It seems like a different part of Holy Week impacts me each year. And this year it is Resurrection. It's probably because of loss I've experienced this year. In the last year I lost a good friend that I grew up with, went to church with, played baseball with, sang with. I also lost my big brother Bob (Theology of a Hug). Last week we lost my wife's grandmother in a car accident. She was a beautiful woman. Since my grandparents live in Ohio, she was my "Granny" too. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 instructs us not to grieve as those with no hope. Instead we look forward to final resurrection and to seeing those that have "fallen asleep." This year as I get closer to Resurrection Sunday I can't help but be thankful, hopeful, and very, very grateful for Resurrection. Enjoying life everlasting with Jesus, Glenny, Bob, Granny and others.

Thank you God for your Son. Thank you for sending him to restore our relationship with you and for giving us life renewed, restored and resurrected with You. Amen!