A Flower in God’s Garden

In Australia’s capital city of Canberra, two magnificent flower shows are exhibited annually —one called Tulip Tops and the other, Floriade.

I have had the privilege of visiting both displays, which left me marveling at the kaleidoscope of color and fragrance across such great expanses of acreage. Thousands upon thousands of seeds and bulbs were planted in such a way as to create designs with intertwined patterns of color and symmetry.

Some flowers were tall, which stood out at a distance, but as I came closer, I could see the smaller varieties of flowers and ground cover popping up between the taller stems. Little pansies and daisies had their faces looking to the sun, showing how efficiently they, too, were doing their part to share in God’s glory.

I imagine tending these plants is a full-time job for many people.

There is not only the growing process but also the removal of all the dead growth when the plants have finished flowering.

Then, I assume, the cycle starts all over again with the careful planning and preparation for the next colorful display.

A garden is a place where each plant is set in a location where it can thrive. Gardeners prepare the soil, protect each plant from pests, and make sure it receives the food, water, and sunlight it needs.

The result is a beautiful, colorful, and fragrant place for people to enjoy. I believe a garden is rich with symbols for how the church is intended to operate.

Like a garden, a church is meant to be a place where everyone works together for the glory of God and the good of all —a place where everyone can grow because they are living in a safe environment of care and nurture.

Each of us can take part in work that benefits others (Colossians 3:16, 17). Like well-tended plants, people growing in healthy environs have a sweet fragrance that draws others to God by displaying the beauty of His love.

God created a beautiful and perfect garden as Adam and Eve’s home. It must have been so lovely, but sin destroyed it. In His love, God has left remnants of His creation for us to enjoy; they remind us of His great creative power.

We know that God will renew this earth, and a beautiful garden will once again be a home for us, forever.

Lyn Welk-Sandy