Spiritual Formation and Enjoying a Garden

Our Garden

I come to the Garden alone,
 While the dew is still on the roses;
And the voice I hear falling on my ear,
 The Son of God discloses.

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
 And He tells me I am his own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
 None other has ever known. (C. Austin Miles)

I have always loved meeting the Lord out in his creation! After a hectic day in the office, I love coming home and going into our back yard to work in the garden. The smell of the flowers and the soft beauty of the grass and evergreen trees help me let go of all the stress—sometimes several layers of strain and tension and worry—until I begin to enjoy life again.

So often in the out-of-doors, I reconnect with the Lord. I reconnect with Sharon, as we work in the garden or do a walk on the tail. In addition, I reconnect with myself, my true self.

Glory of Creation
The loving Creator reveals himself to us in a special way in creation. There we get a glimpse of God’s grandeur as we see the order of the spheres. We touch God’s essential beauty as we soak in the gorgeous sky, the colorful flowers and all of the Almighty’s handiwork.

The heavens declare the glory of God;
 the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
 night after night they display knowledge.
There is no speech or language
 where their voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out into all the earth,
 their words to the ends of the world. (Psalm 19:1-3)

God’s deep love for us is also revealed in all that he provides for us—meeting our every need and simply blessing us with the enjoyment of creation!

Spiritual Formation
One of my spiritual rhythms—a.k.a. spiritual disciplines—is getting out in nature. It is a “discipline” because I need to remind myself to do it! I need to break out of my responsibilities and get my nose away from the grindstone for an hour in order to enjoy God out in his creation. When I do so, it makes all the difference in my life.

Spiritual formation is often interwoven with gardens and creation. I know they are integrally connected in my life. Prayer, listening, meditating, and even reading Scripture come alive in a fresh way in the fresh air. Let us take God up on his invitation to revel in his awesome creation!

© 2013 Glenn E. Myers