Early morning
A woody wood pigeon
Heavy-weight dove,
With white outlined wings
And pristine necklace
Flies into the Scots pine
Seeking breakfast
Expectantly.
Ailerons yawing
Awkwardly lands
Cautiously advances
Staggering intoed
Along a slender branch
Which dips and sways
Flipping him downward
Unseemingly.
He briefly fumbles
Flutters
Rises efficiently
Soaring skyward
Returns moments later
Landing on a sturdier bough
To search for food
Determinedly.
In my garden
I soften the soil
Plant the seeds
Water daily
Get rid of weeds.
In God’s time
Plants will grow
Eventually
Fruit will show
For it is God
Who gives the increase.
1 Corinthians 3: 6 & 7
In a town overflowing with learning
Where knowledge and wisdom reign
I sat alone in a tranquil garden
Quite contented to leave the fast lane.
I wondered, as I rested in contemplation
Why silence is omitted from today’s education.
Eden the first garden, where perfect creation began
Before Satan corrupted the heart and mind of man.
Gethsemane Garden olive press orchard of God’s plan
Where Christ would bring Creator and creation together again.
In the future Heaven’s Garden with flowing streams
That I can now only imagine in my dreams.
Is the tree of life that has leaves that heal
Where at the last, in adoration, I shall kneel.
To thank and worship the Heavenly Gardener for He
Created, redeemed and reconciled me.
Bringing me from Eden, the garden of delight
Through a fallen world of horrible sin’s blight.
To Paradise, walled garden, full of glorious light
Where the throne of God and the Lamb shine bright.
Walk now with me Lord in the garden of my heart
Where together we can commune from the world apart.
Genesis 2:8
Mark 14:32
Luke 23:43, 24:13-34
Revelation 22:2
Wandering through Shalom garden so green
With an azure sky above
The silence brought calming rest to my soul
Filled me again with great peace and love.
As I considered how tall the trees had grown
Without tending or help from man
I again realised how great the Creator
How all of nature is part of His plan.
His marvellous plan to redeem the world
To restore how it’s meant to be
My heart filled with joy and thankfulness
That God’s plan also includes me.
God’s plan also includes everybody
Who simply repents and believes
Forgiveness and reconciliation
God’s garden restoration receives.
I’d forgotten how this garden’s tranquillity
Soothes and brings me so very near
To Almighty God, the Creator
Who by His love takes away all my fear.
Why don’t you too take a wander
Consider God’s cathedral of trees
Let your spirit soar ever upward
Till awesomeness brings you down to your knees.
To fully align my will with God’s
I need to struggle in prayer
Just as my Saviour did that night
In Gethsemane Garden where
Alone He prayed in anguish of soul
In which no one else could share.
When I’m in my garden of suffering
I come to God in earnest prayer
It is then that my family & friends can’t help
Although they would like to share
And help me through this time of pain
Some of my burden bear.
It’s in the garden that I feel
The full weight of God’s holy will
But as I wrestle in my mind
I hear God speak “Be Still
Listen my child and you will find
That the plans I have for you
Are far better than what you’re asking for
Just put your whole trust in me.”
So, in faith I accept God’s will for me
Knowing for sure I will see
That my suffering now will eventually be
All for my own good and God’s glory.
Matthew 26:36-44
Alone in my garden I feel close to the one
Who sends the rain; warmth from the sun
Giving each tiny seed all that they need
To grow and bear fruit to His glory.
As I dig the earth I contemplate
How life, death, birth are not left to fate
But are ordered and set by the Almighty One
Who created me, and all things, for His glory.
The trees lifting arms to the sky above
Silently remind me of the Creator’s love
I know that their roots go down very deep
So that firmly grounded they are able to keep
Steady and strong through every storm
And so bring glory to God.
Lord God, Creator of all
In worship to my knees I fall
Pray that I may be gloriously filled
With fullness of life; power from you
Holy, inner, spiritual strength
To comprehend the breadth and the length
The height and depth of your infinite love
With my roots so firmly fixed in you
So that you can accomplish what I cannot do
And with Christ more and more at home in my heart
This will be my very small part
In bringing God glory forever.
Ephesians 3:14-21
So my mind won’t become a garden neglected
Over-run with grass and weeds
I need to regularly work on it
Constantly sowing healthy, good seeds.
The seeds in my mind are my thoughts
That I’m planting day after day
And I need to be very diligent
To keep unwanted weeds away.
Weeds are bad thoughts that will choke
So I need to keep them all clear
Then from the good seed-thoughts I plant
Beautiful flower-thoughts soon will appear.
My garden
An outdoor workplace
Where I come down to earth
Connect with the natural
Before resting and reconnecting
With the supernatural.
A tranquil place
A place for deep thinking
Of contemplation
Hidden hedged
For profound reflection
Where I can commune
In secret, intimately
Often in silence
With the Creator of all
Can restore a right rhythm
To my life
Can be myself
In my personal paradise
Whilst waiting.
