From the Pastor....

June 2008

It’s gardening season again, and I am in my glory. It’s been a strange Spring, first hot, then cold. The ground hasn’t warmed up much yet, so planting is delayed. Then there will be the rush to get things in the ground, along with gardeners’ best intentions to really "do it right" this year. Then the weeds will start popping up, and up, and up. Mulching helps some, but weeds have a way of finding the slightest cracks to promote their own pesky growth. Working around vacation schedules always presents a challenge as well. We amateur gardeners (at least this amateur gardener) don’t always get the timing of things just right. And of course there are the all the pests - and the debate over the best ways to "control" them.

You’ve probably heard me speak of how gardening is like the life of faith. More than that, I think it can instruct us in faith! We resolve to follow Christ because we know that in following him there is fullness of life. Our intentions are good, even holy. The seed of God’s love has been planted in us, and we want to devote ourselves to learning, growing, serving. Then the weeds start popping up. Our time gets filled up with so many things, and our devotion gets distracted in a thousand directions. Lack of attention leads to lack of intention, and the weeds threaten to take over. Hoeing is needed. The weeds run deep and you’ve got to get to the roots. Cutting them off at the top won’t do any good. Appearances can be very deceiving. So there’s no substitute for getting out there "on your knees," doing the hard work of cultivation, of nurturing the growth.

But - and here’s the good part - when the fruits start coming, it’s never as if we can attribute it to our own hard, sweaty work. The miracle of growth, of seeds becoming plants, and plants producing fruit - is complete gift: "The earth produces of itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear." (Mark 4:28) God is at work beneath, above, over and around our sometimes paltry and ill-informed efforts. God can be trusted to be actively present in the work of our hands and our hearts, in the midst of the muck and mire, through weather fare and foul. The more intentional we are about cultivating the seeds of God’s loving purpose in our lives, our community and our world, the more we are aware and part of the whole process.

I give thanks to God for the fruits of the kingdom that are growing among us!

Yours in Christ,

Peter