Nourishing the heart

Years ago, we experienced the joy of building and owning our first home in Spring Hill, Tennessee. One of the things I was most excited about was having a garden. I had visions of plants and flowers of several varieties, but I knew it would take time and effort I hadn’t put into this before because we had always lived in apartments up to that point. I had occasional potted plants, but nothing that gave me the opportunity to put down roots. I had learned from my parents experience keeping a garden growing up, so this was my chance to put my own interest and little bit of experience into action. I got all the tools, the soil, the seed, the nutrients to feed them, and the mulch to protect them during the winter months. I got into a rhythm pretty quickly and easily, and found I really loved it. I remember right before we moved away, how much I was going to miss that. I still look back at pictures I took of those flower beds and seeing how pretty they were, and how they grew, and wanting to be able to do that again one day. Are our hearts any different? I am doing a new Bible reading plan this year, and as I dig deeper into His Word, I find at times I cannot get enough of it and have read ahead some days. My soul, my heart, my mind, all need that spiritual nourishment, not unlike the needs of a plant as it begins to grow, settle into the soil, put down roots. What are we doing daily to be more spiritually nourished? How are we cultivating our gardens? Are we hungry for the Word, or have we become indifferent, stagnant, dormant?

We have a choice when we dive into the commitment to a life in Christ, to survive, or thrive. If we are not fully aware of our example to others, then we are not fully awake in our commitment to Christ.

Being full awake means we are starting by first spending time nourishing our spiritual beings with time in His Word, talking with the Father, talking with our community of believers and cultivating our hearts to be more like Christ. It takes a commitment to care for a garden, just as it takes a commitment to care for ourselves in Christ. We cannot expect to be more like Him, if we are not seeking after Him and choosing to know Him a little bit more every day. Roots will grow down deeply into the soil when the time and care is taken in cultivating a garden. It is no different for our hearts. I think it is worthwhile to consider how we begin, settle into a rhythm with Father God so that everything that follows in our connection with our community of believers flows seamlessly.

If some fail to do what God requires, it’s as if they forget the word as soon as they hear it. One minute they look in the mirror, and the next they forget who they are and what they look like. However, it is possible to open your eyes and take in the beautiful, perfect truth found in God’s law of liberty and live by it. If you pursue that path and actually do what God has commanded, then you will avoid the many distractions that lead to an amnesia of all true things and you will be blessed.
(James 1:23-25 The Voice translation)

Consider today what your garden may require. I’ve got some weeding to do in mine, so why don’t you join me? Let’s dig deeply into the soil, nourish our hearts in the Word.