Gardening by God's Design - Part One
GOD’S DESIGN FOR GROWING
FOOD AS REVEALED IN SCRIPTURE
1. By His design, the Creator's first job for man was farming
In the book of Genesis, newly created man and woman were given the mandate of cultivating the earth for the purpose of growing food for themselves. "Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it. (Genesis 2:15) This was God’s design.Fast forward to today. That first responsibility given to man has never been rescinded. So anyone who desires to farm/garden is in line with God’s design and to them He has said a hearty, “AMEN”. For mankind to tend a garden in order to grow food, etc. is God’s design.
2. By His design, the Creator intended for man to derive pleasure, joy, find fulfillment and experience beauty and abundance through gardening
God created the Garden of Eden. The word “ Eden” means “pleasure”. So caring for Eden was to be a pleasurable & fulfilling thing for the man & woman. Genesis 2:9 says, “Out of the ground the LORD God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food”.
God created the Garden of Eden. The word “ Eden” means “pleasure”. So caring for Eden was to be a pleasurable & fulfilling thing for the man & woman. Genesis 2:9 says, “Out of the ground the LORD God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food”.
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Eden was a pleasure to behold. It was beautiful by God’s design. It was pleasing to man to look at, to tend to, to taste & it was satisfying to eat. Gardening, by God’s design was a delightful responsibility that God gave to the first couple. It was designed by Him to be a thing of joy, beauty, abundance, satisfaction and it was rewarding.
And the pleasure of tending a garden and enjoying its fruit is an aspect of God’s design that we know experientially is still true, don’t we?
And the pleasure of tending a garden and enjoying its fruit is an aspect of God’s design that we know experientially is still true, don’t we?
3. By His design. the Creator provided a way for the soil to be nourished and sustained organically
Every living thing that God created is organic, was created from the dust of the earth and will eventually return to the ground. When God pronounced the curse on Adam & Eve, He said, “By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, until you return to the ground, because from it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Genesis 3:19
Even in giving the curse God was gracious, for the earth is sustained in this way. Living things that have died return to dust and continue to nourish & replenish the soil. This aspect of God’s design is what we call composting, though it is only vegetable matter that we commonly put in our compost bins. “If it was ever alive, then put it in the compost bin” is how the flyer from the recycling & waste company describes what goes into my compost bin.
“From dust to dust” is the key to sustainability & the Lord is the creator of it. It is His design, even though it was a result of sin, having come about as a consequence of death. This is a solid example of how God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him, to those who are called according to His purpose. His deep love for Adam & Eve is so clearly seen here to me, even after they disobeyed Him.
Even in giving the curse God was gracious, for the earth is sustained in this way. Living things that have died return to dust and continue to nourish & replenish the soil. This aspect of God’s design is what we call composting, though it is only vegetable matter that we commonly put in our compost bins. “If it was ever alive, then put it in the compost bin” is how the flyer from the recycling & waste company describes what goes into my compost bin.
“From dust to dust” is the key to sustainability & the Lord is the creator of it. It is His design, even though it was a result of sin, having come about as a consequence of death. This is a solid example of how God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him, to those who are called according to His purpose. His deep love for Adam & Eve is so clearly seen here to me, even after they disobeyed Him.
Of course we see the Lord’s love for sinners there in the garden even more profoundly in Genesis 3:15 when He pronounced a curse on Satan, that revealed His plan to send a redeemer to rescue us from our sin, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.” This truly is God bringing the greatest good out of the greatest disaster that has ever overtaken mankind. This is Romans 8:28 personified.
"Out of the ground the LORD God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food”. Food was created to nourish the first couple and to delight their taste buds. It was given for man's wellbeing and pleasure (we'll see this more clearly with the next point).
Food was God's love made edible (Norman Wirzba). And it still is, even to those who do not believe. Acts 14:17 says, He did not leave Himself without a witness, in that He did you good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness."
There are so many implications and applications here that I could write an entire book all by itself. But I'll cover just a few thoughts here.
First application: Food is a gift meant to connect us intimately with the Lord three times a day. The gift of food provides many opportunities for us to truly worship the Lord through the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. When, as believers, we sit down to a meal, it is our practice to give thanks to the Lord for this first gift God gave to mankind. Even Jesus thanked His heavenly Father for His food (Matthew 14:15-21).
It is an opportunity to worship Him through the sacrifice of our praise. So let's think about the gift that we're putting in our mouths and stomachs and truly thank Him for it - for His faithful provision of sustenance and love.
Second application: Food is a gift to be shared with others. This is what we see Jesus doing throughout the gospel books of the bible. In the book of Luke, for instance, Jesus is either going to eat a meal with people of all persuasions (disciples, tax collectors, sinners and Pharisees), or He is actually at a meal with the same or He is leaving a meal.
The disciples were stunned. How could they ever feed so many with what they had - five loaves of bread and two fish?
We all know the end of that story. Jesus miraculously created enough food to feed 5000 men and in addition, their wives and children. Matthew 14:20 says, "They all ate freely - as much as they wanted, even seconds and thirds, I would guess, until they were satisfied. And the disciples gathered up twelve basketfuls of leftovers" (basically).
There are commands in Scripture to joyfully practice hospitality. Hebrews 13:2 says, "Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some have shown hospitality to angels with out knowing it." And Romans 12:13 says, "Share with the Lord's people who are in need. Practice hospitality."
When we are obedient in this and drop all the excuses why we cannot be hospitable, though those excuses, even obstacles still remain, just like with the disciples, if we trust that the Lord can do what we cannot, He will be faithful to set the table with food and guests, even providing what was impossible for us. And He will be at that meal with us.
Let's do this with the abundance that the Lord gives (or withholds) via our gardens.
First application: Food is a gift meant to connect us intimately with the Lord three times a day. The gift of food provides many opportunities for us to truly worship the Lord through the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. When, as believers, we sit down to a meal, it is our practice to give thanks to the Lord for this first gift God gave to mankind. Even Jesus thanked His heavenly Father for His food (Matthew 14:15-21).
But, let me ask you, is your prayer of thanks really a conscious act of worship? Or is it rather just a redundant prayer of lip service - something to get out of the way so we can dig in? This act of truly giving thanks is more challenging than it seems.
It is an opportunity to worship Him through the sacrifice of our praise. So let's think about the gift that we're putting in our mouths and stomachs and truly thank Him for it - for His faithful provision of sustenance and love.
Second application: Food is a gift to be shared with others. This is what we see Jesus doing throughout the gospel books of the bible. In the book of Luke, for instance, Jesus is either going to eat a meal with people of all persuasions (disciples, tax collectors, sinners and Pharisees), or He is actually at a meal with the same or He is leaving a meal.
Food is still to be a gift, given away freely to others. When Jesus taught a multitude on a hillside, His disciples came to Him and said that the people were hungry and should be dismissed to go into town to BUY food for themselves. Jesus' reply was, "They do not need to go away. You give them somethin to eat". In other words, "Do not make them have to go away to buy food. You freely give food to them."
We all know the end of that story. Jesus miraculously created enough food to feed 5000 men and in addition, their wives and children. Matthew 14:20 says, "They all ate freely - as much as they wanted, even seconds and thirds, I would guess, until they were satisfied. And the disciples gathered up twelve basketfuls of leftovers" (basically).
There are commands in Scripture to joyfully practice hospitality. Hebrews 13:2 says, "Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some have shown hospitality to angels with out knowing it." And Romans 12:13 says, "Share with the Lord's people who are in need. Practice hospitality."
When we are obedient in this and drop all the excuses why we cannot be hospitable, though those excuses, even obstacles still remain, just like with the disciples, if we trust that the Lord can do what we cannot, He will be faithful to set the table with food and guests, even providing what was impossible for us. And He will be at that meal with us.
As for myself, I long to do this continually, though I fail at that. But if I was this generous with the mere resources that I have (or don't have) I know I would see what the disciples saw - a miraculous disclosures of the Lord providing what I thought was impossible. I will get to see Him and know Him more intimately.
Let's do this with the abundance that the Lord gives (or withholds) via our gardens.
That's enough for now. We'll pick up again in part two of Gardening by God's Design. There's much more that the Lord has given to enable us to grow food in the easiest, most sustainable way.
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