Friday, June 26, 2009

Christ's Garden

Song of Solomon 5:1
I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse.


The heart of the believer is Christ's garden. He bought it with His precious blood, and He enters it and claims it as His own. A garden implies separation. It is not the open common; it is not a wilderness; it is walled around, or hedged in. Would that we could see the wall of separation between the church and the world made broader and stronger. It makes one sad to hear Christians saying, "Well, there is no harm in this; there is no harm in that," thus getting as near to the world as possible. Grace is at a low ebb in that soul which can even raise the question of how far it may go in worldly conformity. A garden is a place of beauty, it far surpasses the wild uncultivated lands. The genuine Christian must seek to be more excellent in his life than the best moralist, because Christ's garden ought to produce the best flowers in all the world. Even the best is poor compared with Christ's deservings; let us not put Him off with withering and dwarf plants. The rarest, richest, choicest lilies and roses ought to bloom in the place which Jesus calls His own. The garden is a place of growth. The saints are not to remain undeveloped, always mere buds and blossoms. We should grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Growth should be rapid where Jesus is the Husbandman, and the Holy Spirit the dew from above. A garden is a place of retirement. So the Lord Jesus Christ would have us reserve our souls as a place in which He can manifest Himself, as He doth not unto the world. O that Christians were more retired, that they kept their hearts more closely shut up for Christ! We often worry and trouble ourselves, like Martha, with much serving, so that we have not the room for Christ that Mary had, and do not sit at His feet as we should. The Lord grant the sweet showers of His grace to water His garden this day.

Devotional by Charles Spurgeon

3 comments:

Cherdecor said...

My heart is the garden of the Lord. When he gets his pruning shears out, I want to run, but he catches me every time. He weeds this garden and works hard on it. A lot of weeding and pruning is done before the watering. The growth has come and now am experiencing some fruit! Finally!

SmilingSally said...

That Bible story always perplexed me. The worker was not praised, and I am a worker. However, I know that we must not neglect worship and study, and that's the real truth of this story.

TO BECOME said...

Beautiful post. I enjoyed reading it. The thoughts, I will remember. I always want my heart to be a garden for my Lord. I want Him to feel at home there anytime.

Hope Andrew's ear is better. love to you, connie