GARDENS AND GARDENERS
1Peter 2:1-5; 2Peter 3:14-18
The Bible is a garden book. There’s one at the beginning, a better one at the end, and the Gethsemane garden in between. Everyman should be a gardener, and his life the garden. There’s sowing and sunshine, dew- fall and rain, and special watering in dry spells. Then there’s weeding, watching for hurtful insects, and pruning, a cutting back to get better fruit. Let’s be good gardeners, with the Man of Gethsemane to help.
KEEP OPEN TO THE BEST
Luke 2:40-52
Jesus was natural in boyhood as he was in manhood. He ate, and slept, and worked. He companioned with others, read in the Bible he had, aimed to live it out, got alone on his knees, obeyed his mother, dreamed of the future. He kept open to the best—body, mind, spirit—in a simple boy-way. So he grew. So we, too, shall grow in vigor and gentleness and strength of life, as he has sway.
WHEN LITTLE IS BIG
Zechariah 4:1-14
The day of small things can become the life of biggest and best things. A small word spoken at the right time may set a whole life straight. A gentle smile may brighten the way for the man with a heavy load. The small bit of time with the Book and the knee bent will hallow the day’s task. The still, small voice listened to may turn the world’s tide. The small in God’s hand becomes big.
Philippians 2:15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
Think about these questions as you meditate on the verse. What does this verse teach me? How does this verse apply to my Life?
THE GROWING-PLACE
Mark 4:21-34
Where Jesus’ touch is allowed full sway we shall grow. Little by little, day by day, pushing off the old, pushing out the new, becoming more and better: more victory in temptation, more purity in life, more patience with others, more knowledge of his will through the Book, more getting things done through prayer, more winsomeness in winning. But we’ll not be continually measuring how much—sometimes; we’ll just be staying in the sunlight and dew of Jesus’ presence.
KEEP THE ENEMY CLEAN OUT
Proverbs 23:29-35
There’s only one safe thing to do with alcoholics of every grade and kind: treat them as you would a poisonous snake. You never know when they’ll bite. Never take the first drink, or if you have, never take the next one. Drinking is like giving the front-door key to a burglar. Everything inside is in danger when the first glass is taken; nothing is quite safe —brain, tongue, heart, purity, character, loved ones, property.
1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
Think about these questions as you meditate on the verse. What does this verse teach me? How does this verse apply to my Life?
